Max Verstappen’s difficult season in 2024 took another turn for the worse during the recent Mexico GP and Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has also suggested the possibility of an engine penalty for the coming Brazilian GP at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace.
The reigning world champion faced an uphill task in Mexico as he lost 10 points to McLaren’s Lando Norris after suffering from serious power unit issues. This was despite the team changing his engine prior to the race. Yet, the team could not find a solution to the problem found prior to the race. Though this alteration prevented Verstappen from incurring a penalty in Mexico, Marko indicates that a grid drop in Brazil is probably going to happen.
Marko noted, “More alarming is that we couldn’t get the tyres going. We didn’t even come close to the two front teams.” In light of this, he pointed out that a new engine was necessary, as the existing one was not performing as expected. “Usually, we are quite strong at the end of a stint; this time however, the car went downhill.”
Consequences of an engine change
Should Red Bull decide to fit a new engine prior to the parc ferme conditions, Verstappen will be subjected to a five-place grid penalty. In contrast, if the modification is completed during the parc ferme conditions, he would make the start from the pit lane. Both options could prove to be detrimental in the fight for the championship and more so in favor of Norris and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari.
A five-place grid penalty may open up a window for victory for either Norris or Leclerc, but the points they will gain will be minimal. On the other hand, a pit lane start could see Verstappen start to drop back significantly. This will be a great opportunity for Norris and Leclerc to score as much as 19 points if they go on to win and he finishes behind them.
Verstappen’s Hope
Nevertheless, he is encouraged by the prospect of performing well in Brazil despite the hurdles faced. Verstappen reminisced the challenging race in Mexico and said, “Going up to sixth was fine, but I couldn’t even challenge the Mercedes cars ahead of me. There was simply no grip. I was kind of skidding, and was not even able to apply the brakes. It was brutal.”
He elaborated, “We are working at it, and hoping for the best but previous places looked better. This place was a little bit worse, so it’s a little bit strange. However, there are certain aspects to examine, and I believe we can be fighting more in Brazil.”
As the countdown commences towards the Brazilian GP, fans will look forward to the extent that Verstappen and Red Bull will be challenged and how it will play out on the track.
