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The question of when Max Verstappen will serve a grid penalty for an engine change continues to swirl around the paddock. As the São Paulo Grand Prix draws closer, speculation surrounding Red Bull's power unit strategy has ramped up once again.
As things stand, Red Bull are not planning to install a fresh power unit in Verstappen's car for the Interlagos race weekend. Nevertheless, the situation remains fluid and plans could shift in the coming days, meaning a grid drop for the world champion cannot be completely ruled out. The Dutchman has managed to avoid exceeding his component allowance so far this season, but he is now on the limit across virtually every major element.
Red Bull previously weighed up an engine change
It was previously reported that the Milton Keynes-based outfit seriously considered taking a new engine for Verstappen at the Malaysian Grand Prix. While that move would have sent him to the back of the grid, it would have bolstered his pool of fresh components for the season's closing stretch.
However, Verstappen's blistering pace during Friday practice convinced the team to scrap that idea. Delaying the engine change proved to be an inspired decision, as the Dutchman secured pole position at Sepang and went on to claim race victory. Red Bull also navigated the following rounds without introducing fresh hardware, with Verstappen taking wins in Singapore and Mexico, alongside a third-place finish in Austin.
Verstappen aware that a penalty looms
Following qualifying in Baku, the driver conceded that an engine penalty before the end of the campaign looked inevitable. After encountering technical issues with his power unit that weekend, Red Bull's engineers managed to resolve the problem by rotating parts from his existing pool.
"Yes, for sure at some point we'll have to take another penalty," the four-time world champion confirmed at the time.
Ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Verstappen was quizzed on the topic once again. He refused to dismiss the possibility, though he stressed that nothing had been scheduled: "Yeah, it's possible. For now there's no set date, so we'll see how things develop."
To date, the Red Bull driver has utilized his full allocation of four internal combustion engines (ICE), four turbochargers, three MGU-K units, three energy stores, three control electronics, and four exhaust systems—hitting the maximum ceiling for every single component.
Red Bull are still permitted to reinstall previously used components from their existing pool without triggering any grid penalties. At present, fitting an entirely new element that exceeds the allocation is not scheduled for Brazil, though a final decision will be made in the build-up to the race.
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