F1 News: Yuki Tsunoda Takes Belgian GP Penalty Leaving Him At The Back

VCARB's Yuki Tsunoda will start at the back of the grid at the Belgian GP due to a penalty for a fifth engine change.

May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; RB racing driver Yuki Tsunoda (22) walks into the F1 Village before the F1 Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

VCARB's Yuki Tsunoda faces an uphill battle this weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix as he will start the race at the back of the pack.

VCARB has installed a new Honda engine in Tsunoda's car, marking his fifth power unit (PU) replacement of the season. This decision pushes him beyond the permissible allocation for engine parts, triggering a mandatory grid penalty. This tactical decision utilizes one of F1's more forgiving tracks in terms of overtaking capabilities, potentially minimizing the impact of starting from the back.

Alan Permane, VCARB racing director, commented, as quoted by Autosport:

“Yuki will start at the back here, with a fifth PU [of the season].

“[On Ricciardo,] we’ll certainly wait and see what happens in the next couple of races.”

Whilst speaking to the media ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Tsunoda commented on how important his race is this weekend as rumors continue to circulate about Red Bull considering potential Sergio Perez replacements. The Japanese driver commented:

“Well, I guess, for Red Bull drivers except Max all races are critical.

“Just got used to it and just do my normal race. If you see [my] previous races, since race one it's quite clear how much I prove in the tracks.

“Amount of Q3 appearances, amount of points taken on each track – I think I've proved enough, you know.

“Obviously, this race will be important as well. See how it goes, but yeah.”

Max Verstappen is also expected to take a ten-place grid penalty this weekend, however, this has not been confirmed by Red Bull yet.

The Belgian Grand Prix is the last F1 race before the summer break. Free Practice 1 is currently underway with FP2 set to take place later today. FP3 and Qualifying will take place tomorrow followed by the Grand Prix on Sunday.