Verstappen to start Sao Paulo GP from pit lane with new power unit

Max Verstappen will start the Sao Paulo Grand Prix from the pit lane after Red Bull opted to take a new power unit and make changes to his car.

Red Bull struggled in qualifying on Saturday with both Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda dropping out in Q1 on pace, marking the first time the team has had both cars fail to advance since the 2006 Japanese Grand Prix. That followed a change of floor for Verstappen, who had run the latest specification in the morning’s Sprint and then reverted to the previous specification for qualifying.

The team had originally been planning to try and make it to the end of the season without taking a new power unit, but given an original starting position of 16th place, and the need to break parc ferme conditions to make suspension setup changes, it has opted to take a new one ahead of Sunday’s race.

The setup changes alone would mandate a pit lane start, so the new power unit is effectively a free change for Red Bull, as it looks to give Verstappen the best chance of remaining in the drivers’ championship fight with three further rounds remaining after Interlagos. Heading into Sunday’s race, he is currently 39 points adrift of championship leader Lando Norris, who starts on pole position.

Verstappen has an entire new power unit in his car, while Esteban Ocon has also taken a new internal combustion engine (ICE) after he qualified 17th, meaning he will also start from the pit lane.