Multiple drivers, including Sergio Perez, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen, face grid penalties at the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix. These sanctions stem from various infringements and power unit component changes ahead of Saturday’s qualifying session at Interlagos. Qualifying was red-flagged early due to heavy rain and had not resumed at the time of reporting.
Cadillac driver Sergio Perez has been handed a 30-place grid penalty for exceeding his season allowance of power unit components. He moved onto a fifth internal combustion engine (ICE), fifth turbocharger, and fourth MGU-K.
Under 2026 regulations, drivers are permitted four ICEs and turbochargers, and three MGU-Ks for the season. Exceeding these limits incurs a 10-place grid drop for the first additional component, with subsequent additions resulting in five-place penalties.
A cumulative penalty exceeding 15 grid positions automatically mandates a back-of-the-grid start. Consequently, Perez will start Sunday’s race from the rear of the field.
Perez also received a formal warning from the FIA stewards for throwing a piece of plastic from his car during Free Practice 3. The object was identified as a cable organiser.
The Stewards heard from the team representative and reviewed in-car video evidence and determined that the driver of Car 11 threw a small plastic piece out of the car. The plastic piece was a cable organiser that typically attaches to the seat belt. It dislodged during the session and the driver threw it out as he was concerned that it would lodge itself somewhere else in the car and create a safety issue. While we appreciated the fact that it was a small, light piece of plastic that was unlikely to cause any damage to another car or injure another driver, throwing materials onto the track during a live session is not appropriate for obvious reasons. We therefore issue a formal warning to the competitor to avoid similar situations from arising in the future.
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton will also start from the back of the grid. He initially incurred a 10-place penalty for taking a fifth ICE.
However, issues with his new engine during FP3, including reported smoke in the cockpit, necessitated a complete power unit change. This further penalty resulted in the back-of-the-grid start.
Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, also faces a 30-place grid penalty. He exceeded his component allocation by taking a fifth ICE, fifth turbocharger, and fifth exhaust system.
This penalty also places Verstappen at the back of the grid for Sunday’s race.
Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, received a 10-place grid penalty for taking a fifth ICE.
Mercedes driver George Russell will serve a five-place grid penalty. This is due to him moving onto a sixth ICE for the season.
Haas driver Oliver Bearman received a reprimand for reversing in the pit lane during qualifying. This action is explicitly prohibited under Article B1.6.3b of the FIA F1 Regulations.
This marks Bearman’s second driving-related reprimand of the 2026 season. Drivers who accumulate five driving reprimands over a campaign face an automatic 10-place grid penalty.
Qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix was red-flagged after two minutes due to torrential rain. The session had not yet resumed at the time of this report.
