Stoffel Vandoorne lands first engine grid penalty of 2017 in fourth race
Stoffel Vandoorne has landed the first power unit related grid penalty of the season at only the fourth race of the season.
The McLaren driver will drop 15 places for Sunday’s race after more Honda problems in Sochi Friday morning.
This year’s grid penalties click in when they take their fifth elements, and a change to the FIA Sporting Regulations means that drivers can no longer stockpile examples by making multiple changes on one weekend, a ploy that was used by the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso in the past.
Vandoorne started FP1 with a new turbo and MGU-H, putting him on the verge of penalties. He then experienced a loss of power, due a suspected MGU-K issue.
It was decided to change the ICE (V6), MGU-K, MGU-H and turbo for FP2, which means the fifth examples of the last two. He gets 10 places for using the fifth example of one element, and five further places for the fifth example of another.
Meanwhile, Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen have taken a further step towards penalties by using new turbochargers. Both men are now on their third turbos of the season. Apart from the two works drivers Romain Grosjean is also now on his third Ferrari turbo, Carlos Sainz has taken his third Renault MGU-H of the season, and Alonso has used his third example of both items.
