Bottas faces 50-place penalty after Cadillac power unit changes

Valtteri Bottas is set to start from the back of the grid at the Mexico City Grand Prix after Cadillac fitted five new power unit elements to his car. Each change is a first breach of its allocation for the 2026 season, putting the Finn in line for a 50-place penalty.

Cadillac, which uses Ferrari power units, installed a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger, energy store, control electronics unit and motor generator unit-kinetic on Bottas’ car at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

Five first breaches add up to a 50-place drop

The regulations assign a 10-place penalty when a driver first exceeds the allocation for a power unit element. Further breaches of that element’s allowance bring five-place penalties, and penalties incurred at the same event are added together.

Because all five elements are first-time breaches, Bottas faces a total drop of 50 places. Any penalty greater than 15 places means the driver must start from the back regardless, making the cumulative figure unlikely to change his starting position.

An FIA document says that, subject to car 77 being classified in qualifying, its race grid position will be set under the relevant regulation. The penalty comes after Bottas’ car was driven by Colton Herta in Friday’s first practice session, as part of the young-driver requirement.

Bottas and Perez both had health concerns

Bottas missed Thursday’s media commitments in Mexico because of illness. Team-mate Sergio Perez, who was also feeling unwell, arrived at the circuit late on Friday. Both drivers were expected to take part in practice as planned, with Herta’s running limited to FP1.

Bottas has yet to be confirmed with Cadillac for 2027, while Perez has announced that he will remain with the team through 2029. Read more about Bottas’ uncertain Cadillac future and Perez’s long-term deal.

The power unit changes therefore carry an immediate consequence for Bottas in Mexico, where he will have to overcome a back-of-grid start if his car is classified in qualifying.