Cadillac driver Sergio Perez has received a 30-place grid penalty for the Brazilian Grand Prix, confirming he will start Sunday’s race from the rear of the field. The penalty stems from exceeding his power unit component allocation for the 2026 Formula 1 season. This decision by the FIA stewards impacts multiple drivers ahead of qualifying at Interlagos.
Perez’s penalty is a result of taking a fifth internal combustion engine (ICE), a fifth turbocharger, and a fourth MGU-K. Under current regulations, the first time a driver exceeds the allocation for a specific power unit element, a 10-place grid penalty is applied.
Each subsequent use of an additional element of the same type incurs a five-place grid drop. With three new components exceeding his allowance, Perez accumulated a 30-place penalty. Any driver accumulating more than 15 grid places must automatically start from the back.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen also faces a 30-place grid penalty for the Brazilian Grand Prix. He has taken a fifth internal combustion engine, a fifth turbocharger, and a fifth exhaust system. This also mandates a back-of-the-grid start for the four-time world champion.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton will also start from the back of the grid. Initially, Hamilton received a 10-place penalty for a fifth internal combustion engine. However, after experiencing issues with smoke from his car during Saturday’s final practice, Ferrari opted to replace his entire power unit.
This comprehensive change escalated his penalty to a back-of-the-grid start. His Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc has a 10-place grid penalty for taking a fifth internal combustion engine.
Mercedes driver George Russell will serve a five-place grid penalty. This follows his team’s decision to fit a sixth internal combustion engine to his car for the Interlagos event.
The 2026 Formula 1 regulations permit drivers to use four internal combustion engines, four turbochargers, and four exhaust systems per season without penalty. The allowance for MGU-K, energy store, and control electronics is three units each.
A ‘bonus’ allocation for one of each component type was introduced for the 2026 season due to the new power unit formula. The MGU-H component was removed from the power unit for this season.
Cadillac joined the Formula 1 grid as the 11th team for the 2026 season. The American outfit confirmed Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas as their driver pairing in August 2025.
Perez signed a contract extension with Cadillac until the end of the 2029 season prior to the Mexican Grand Prix last weekend. Cadillac is utilizing Ferrari power units for its initial two seasons in Formula 1.
The team plans to develop and introduce its own in-house power unit from 2028 or 2029. Colton Herta serves as a test driver, while Zhou Guanyu is the reserve driver for Cadillac.
Saturday’s final practice session at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace saw Max Verstappen set the fastest lap. Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris completed the top three.
Perez finished 20th in the session. Qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix is scheduled to commence later today, with heavy thunderstorms forecast for the Interlagos circuit.
During FP3, Perez also received a formal warning from the stewards for driving in an unsafe condition. This was issued after he threw a small cable organiser from his car onto the track.
