F1 leader Max Verstappen facing Sao Paulo grid penalty

Formula 1 leader Max Verstappen will take a grid penalty at Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix after bringing in another new engine, Red Bull Racing's Helmut Marko confirmed Wednesday with Speedweek.

The three-time defending F1 world champion will introduce a sixth internal combustion engine this season. Only four are permitted before penalties are incurred.

Marko said Verstappen was forced to use two engines during last weekend's sixth-place finish in Mexico City, where his lead over McLaren's Lando Norris shrank to 47 points with four races remaining.

"The pace was also not right because the engine problem meant that a different engine had to be installed, which had reached the end of its life and was actually no longer planned for racing," Marko said.

"That was one of the reasons why we were one of the slowest cars on the straights. When a Formula 1 engine has reached a certain number of kilometers, the loss of performance is clearly noticeable.

"We are currently investigating whether we could use the engine with the leak again. But here too, the number of kilometers means that it is no longer planned to be used. All of this means that we cannot avoid changing the engine in Brazil, with the corresponding penalty."

Because Verstappen received a 10-place grid penalty at the Belgian GP in July for exceeding the four-engine limit, the Dutchman will reportedly only receive a five-place penalty this weekend for a second infringement.

--Field Level Media