Lando Norris will have an extra challenge at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix in Formula 1. McLaren confirmed this Thursday (16) that the Briton will lose ten positions on the starting grid at Spa-Francorchamps after using a fourth power unit electronics, exceeding the limit allowed by the regulations.
Read more F1: Six questions that the Belgian GP can answer in F1 2026
The team explained that the problems started back at the Chinese GP. “The first power unit electronics of car number 1 suffered a definitive failure in China, which prevented Lando from starting the race. The second unit, installed in Japan, had to be removed for repairs after showing problems in free practice, which forced us to use the third and last allowed unit. Although the second unit was repaired after the Japanese GP, it suffered another definitive failure during FP2 in Monaco and was again removed from our allocation,” McLaren reported.
“Although the unit installed in Japan, used in all sessions since Miami, has worked reliably, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains introduced a series of reliability improvements in their new power unit electronics systems. To take advantage of these improvements, we need to accept a ten-place grid penalty by installing a new unit in Lando’s car,” the team explained.
Read more F1: Is the perfect lap at Spa the hardest in Formula 1?
McLaren also justified the choice to serve the penalty specifically at Spa-Francorchamps. “We chose to do this in Belgium because it is a circuit where overtaking is relatively more feasible than in the upcoming rounds in Hungary and the Netherlands. Our plan now is to use this fourth power unit electronics for the rest of the season, to maximize reliability and minimize new sporting penalties for Lando,” the statement concluded.
Read more F1 today: FIA changes Spa and Hamilton demands Ferrari
