Max Verstappen should take an influence unit penalty at some stage of the present System 1 season on account of issues suffered earlier within the yr.
The championship chief needed to take a brand new energy unit throughout the Canadian Grand Prix weekend after a problem in Friday apply. Following the choice to take a brand new energy unit on Sergio Perez’s automobile at Silverstone — with the Mexican already beginning in the back of the grid — Pink Bull group principal Christian Horner says at some stage there might be the same penalty for Verstappen.
“I’m positive sooner or later we’ll find yourself taking an additional engine for Max,” Horner stated. “It’s only a query of whenever you select strategically to try this. So we’ll work with Honda on that. Inevitably, we’ll take a penalty sooner or later within the yr.”
Verstappen has prolonged his championship result in 84 factors over the previous 5 races regardless of solely successful two of these, and Horner believes the fluctuating kind that has seen 4 groups successful in 2024 is all the way down to getting efficiency out of various tire compounds.
“Plenty of information and data to take out of that, to grasp the place these massive fluctuations [come from],” Horner stated, “as a result of at completely different time limits, completely different vehicles appeared fast. One minute, it began off as Mercedes, then it appeared like McLaren had every thing below management, after which abruptly, second half of the race, Max began coming again and really almost gained it. For the followers… a implausible race. However clearly loads to attempt to perceive the place the fluctuations are coming from.
“I believe it’s all about these tires. I believe it’s all in regards to the tire working at a sure time limit, sure situation, whether or not it’s sizzling or chilly. Completely different vehicles working the tires in numerous methods, and also you noticed an extremity of that as a circuit [Silverstone] clearly went from damp to moist to damp to again to dry.”
Regardless of the issue of making an attempt to grasp the aggressive order and combat off challenges from a number of groups from a Pink Bull perspective, Horner admits it’s a situation that’s good for the game as a complete.
“I believe System 1 can’t be in a greater place in the intervening time. In case you take a look at the final 5 – 6 races, we’ve had Lewis [Hamilton], we’ve had Lando [Norris], we’ve had Max, we’ve had Charles Leclerc… It’s shifting round,” he famous. “And the one one which’s managed to be there constantly, has been Max. So I believe the game, you’ll be able to see by the crowds that it’s delivering and so forth, and I’m positive Lewis’s win was a extremely popular win in entrance of a house crowd.”
