The consequences of hanging Lewis Hamilton with Fernando Alonso in the first lap of the Belgian Grand Prix are still being felt on the side of Mercedes. The analyzes carried out on the Silver Arrow power unit, damaged during the incident, are not satisfactory for the moment, and it now seems clear that it will no longer be used in qualifications or race.
Therefore, it will become inevitable to use a fourth power unit on car #44 by the end of the season. Mercedes has therefore decided to mount him on the single-seater of the seven-time World Champion from Monza, a track favorable to overtaking and therefore to a rise from the back of the grid – because that is where Hamilton will start, his quota of parts engine being exceeded. Some elements of Spa’s power unit might be fitted during free practice sessions in order to limit the mileage of the other power units in its quota in future Grands Prix.
Further down the grid, with probably less impact given his recent performance in qualifying (two eliminations in Q1), Valtteri Bottas will also start at the back of the peloton. As he feared, the Alfa Romeo driver will be equipped with at least the following new parts: an engine, a turbo and an MGU-H. That would already be a 15-place grid penalty, so he would have to be placed ahead of Lewis Hamilton, but probably behind the rest of the field – unless of course there was a real miracle in qualifying, which would see him rise to the top. 4 in Q3.
At Haas, it is confirmed that Mick Schumacher will receive a new gearbox and receive a five-place penalty. Finally, but this time it is a question of a supposition, Red Bull Racing might also equip Sergio Perez a new power unit, once more due to the nature of the Monza circuit. It seems that this outcome is anyway inevitable for the Mexican driver given the current state of the other parts at his disposal.
With Jonathan Noble and Adam Cooper
