F1Briefings

F1 News: Max Verstappen Suffers More Engine Issues As Penalties Loom

Max Verstappen faces engine troubles during F1 practice in Austria.

Lydia Mee

Jun 7, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (NED) in the pit lane during the practice session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 7, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (NED) in the pit lane during the practice session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

In a disheartening development for the Red Bull Racing team, Max Verstappen encountered more engine trouble during the first and only free practice session in Austria leading to a red flag incident. The Dutch Formula 1 champion was seen stalling on a straight, an issue that was later traced back to the car's Energy Recovery System (ERS) and potential electrical problems affecting the internal combustion engine.

This comes as the driver faces an upcoming ten-place grid penalty as he has already used up his power unit allowance for the year, which is set at four. Verstappen also faced issues during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.

The first problematic unit, freshly installed, failed during FP1 in Canada. Following this failure, the engine was promptly removed and shipped to Honda’s technical center in Sakura, Japan, for a thorough analysis, aiming to pinpoint the exact technical mishaps and prevent future occurrences.

The stakes are particularly high for Verstappen, as he has already reached his F1 regulatory limit of four internal combustion engines after the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this season. Introducing a fifth engine into the mix would automatically result in a 10-place grid penalty under F1’s current regulations. This is a significant challenge, considering the tight competition in this year’s championship. 

Luckily, Verstappen has been able to get back out on track in Austria after returning to the pits during the Red Flag. The Austrian team has since posted an update to social media, writing:

"Message from the garage - 'no concerns, a minor issue we can recover from'"

Published
Lydia Mee

LYDIA MEE

Lydia is the lead editor of F1 editorial. After following the sport for several years, she was finally able to attend the British Grand Prix in person in 2017. Since then, she's been addicted to not only the racing, but the atmosphere the fans bring to each event. She's a strong advocate for women in motorsport and a more diverse industry. 

Home/News