Isack Hadjar set for back-of-grid start at Spa after Red Bull power unit changes

Hadjar faces major Belgian Grand Prix penalty

Isack Hadjar is set to start the Belgian Grand Prix from the back of the grid after Red Bull exceeded the season allocation for three power unit elements on his car.

The team has fitted additional Internal Combustion Engine, Turbocharger and Exhaust components, triggering a series of penalties under the regulations. Hadjar will therefore drop to the rear regardless of where he qualifies on Saturday, leaving the Frenchman with a significant recovery task in Sunday’s race.

The decision reflects the specific demands of Spa-Francorchamps. The circuit is regarded as a suitable venue for taking an engine-related grid penalty because its overtaking opportunities can give a driver a realistic chance of recovering positions. Hadjar’s qualifying result will still matter for assessing his underlying pace, but his race will be defined by the climb through the field.

How the penalties apply

The first time a driver exceeds the allocation of any individual element, the penalty is a 10-place grid drop. A second breach of the allocation, and each subsequent breach, carries a five-place penalty. When multiple penalties are applied at the same event, they are cumulative.

However, a driver who receives a penalty exceeding 15 grid places must start the race at the back of the field. With Red Bull exceeding the allocation for three separate elements on Hadjar’s car, that provision determines his starting position.

The penalty also adds another variable to a Belgian Grand Prix weekend already shaped by power unit decisions. Red Bull has accepted the cost of starting at the rear in exchange for introducing the new components, while Spa’s layout offers Hadjar the clearest opportunity to limit the sporting damage.

Norris and Stroll also penalised

Hadjar is not the only driver facing a grid drop at Spa. McLaren’s Lando Norris has exceeded his Control Electronics allocation and is due to receive a 10-place penalty. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll has incurred the same penalty after exceeding his Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic allocation.

Norris’s situation is covered in more detail in our report on his 10-place Belgian Grand Prix grid penalty.

With three drivers set to lose grid positions before the race begins, the Belgian Grand Prix will place added emphasis on qualifying position, overtaking and race recovery. For Hadjar, the objective is clear: minimise the penalty’s impact by converting Spa’s overtaking potential into a determined climb from the back.