Verstappen, Hamilton and Leclerc face grid drops in São Paulo

Max Verstappen is set to start from the back of the grid for Sunday's São Paulo Grand Prix after Red Bull chose to change several power unit elements on his car. The team worked late into the night after a difficult Friday, during which Verstappen reported lingering engine and clutch issues over the radio. Red Bull, alongside Aston Martin, breached the FIA curfew to carry out the work, using the second of its four allowed late-working exemptions.

Verstappen will not be the only driver taking a penalty. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have both received new internal combustion engines and face mandatory ten-place grid penalties. Verstappen has a strong record at Interlagos, having won from 17th in wet conditions in 2024, and he enters the weekend after three wins in the last four races.

With rain possible, clean air and track position could prove more important than slipstream tactics, which were considered for helping teammate Isack Hadjar in qualifying.