Turkish GP: Lewis Hamilton gets 10 grid places penalty with new Mercedes engine

Lewis Hamilton will start the race 10 places lower than his qualifying position after Mercedes equipped a new ICE (internal combustion engine), his fourth of the season; Mercedes hope to limit penalty damage in title fight against Max Verstappen and Red Bull

Lewis Hamilton will be penalized 10 grid places for Sunday’s Turkish GP after Mercedes equipped the championship leader with a new engine in Istanbul.

Hamilton has been moved to his fourth ICE (internal combustion engine) of the season, one more than what is allowed in F1 regulations.

But with just one tweaked element on his Power Unit, Hamilton, who will start the race 10 places lower than his qualifying position, should avoid the start behind the grid that title rival Max Verstappen served in Russia.

As Hamilton played down the possibility of an upcoming engine penalty at the weekend, Mercedes said Air sports that they wanted to avoid taking reliability “risks” in the championship battle against Verstappen.

Red Bull’s Verstappen dropped from 20th to second at the Russian GP to limit Hamilton’s title lead to just two points despite his big penalty with an all-new Honda engine.

More soon.