Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has acknowledged that it is unavoidable for Max Verstappen to face a power unit penalty at some point this season. Before the British Grand Prix, Red Bull provided Sergio Perez with new power unit components, including an internal combustion engine, MGU-H, MGU-K, and traction control, bringing him to the limit of the allowed components.
Perez’s mistake during qualifying, which left him 19th after getting stuck in the gravel, prompted Red Bull to add further components under parc fermé conditions. With nothing to lose, the team opted for a fifth ICE, a new control electronics, and an energy store, leading to a pit lane start penalty.
Verstappen is also nearing a penalty, as he has reached the limit with all six components. Any new element beyond the allowed quota incurs a 10-place grid penalty, with additional replacements resulting in five-place penalties. With the season at its midpoint, Horner has admitted that Verstappen will need to take a similar penalty in the latter half of the campaign.
“I’m sure at some point we’ll end up taking an extra engine for Max,” said Horner. “It’s just a question of when you strategically choose to do that. So we’re working with Honda on that. Inevitably we will take a penalty at some point in the year.”
This penalty will likely affect Verstappen’s title defense, though he currently holds an 84-point lead over his competitors, led by McLaren’s Lando Norris, despite not having the fastest car in the last two races. Despite winning only three of the last seven races since the Miami Grand Prix and Red Bull being out-developed by McLaren and Mercedes during this period, Verstappen has still managed to outscore his rivals.
Horner admits Red Bull is at the peak of its development curve but remains optimistic, stating, “There’s stuff that we have in the pipeline, there are still gains to be had. Inevitably, when it becomes closer, it’s down to those marginal fine details that make the difference.”
He also noted the shifting form among teams, with Mercedes performing well at Silverstone, McLaren in Austria, and Red Bull securing a win in Barcelona. Horner concluded, “Out of this triple header, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Max has scored the most points.”
