Red Bull Racing driver Isack Hadjar will start the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix from the back of the grid. The Frenchman confirmed the penalty, which stems from a power unit change ahead of the race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.
The decision to introduce a new power unit means Hadjar will exceed his permitted allocation for the current season. This automatically triggers a grid penalty, irrespective of his qualifying performance at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
Teams often strategically elect to take power unit penalties at circuits like Spa due to the track’s layout. Its long straights and ample overtaking opportunities are considered more conducive for drivers to recover positions during the race.
In a related development, McLaren driver Lando Norris will also incur a grid penalty for the Belgian Grand Prix. Norris is set to receive a 10-place grid drop after his team fitted a fourth power electronics unit to his car.
This marks Norris’s fourth power electronics unit of the 2026 season, exceeding the regulatory limit of three. McLaren cited reliability issues earlier in the season as the reason for the component change, choosing Spa for its recovery potential.
Red Bull Racing has also opted against using its ‘Macarena’ rear wing at Spa this weekend. The decision follows incidents involving Max Verstappen at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone, where the innovative component caused issues.
Hadjar, who secured a podium finish at the Monaco Grand Prix earlier this season, acknowledged the visual difference of the standard wing but stated its in-car impact is less significant than perceived. He out-qualified Verstappen at Silverstone, finishing fifth.
The Belgian Grand Prix weekend, running from July 17-19, 2026, is expected to feature discussions on overtaking dynamics under the current 2026 regulations, with some anticipating ‘yo-yo racing’ due to energy management.
