Hamilton set for Brazil grid penalty after Ferrari engine change

Lewis Hamilton is expected to take a grid penalty at Interlagos this weekend after Ferrari fitted a fresh engine element beyond his season allocation. Under FIA regulations, the first additional power unit component carries a 10-place grid drop, with further changes costing five places each. It remains unclear where Hamilton will line up once qualifying is complete, or whether a full engine change is involved.

The situation recalls 2021, when Hamilton started 10th at the same venue after a fifth Mercedes engine and went on to win from there, passing Max Verstappen in a two-stop strategy. Interlagos suits recovery drives, with a slipstreaming run into the Senna S and a compact lap that keeps the field close across 71 laps. Hamilton arrives third in the drivers' championship on 259 points, two behind Verstappen.