Hamilton to take new F1 engine, set for back of the grid start at Monza

Mercedes will introduce a fresh engine into Hamilton’s pool this weekend after his PU was damaged in a collision with Fernando Alonso at Spa. The switch to a fourth internal combustion engine will trigger an automatic back-of-the-grid start for Sunday’s race at Monza. 

Hamilton’s engine, which was introduced at the Belgian Grand Prix, suffered a 45G impact when his car was launched into the air in a collision with Alonso on the opening lap of last month’s race at Spa. 

Despite the impact, it is understood Hamilton’s power unit at Spa has survived. Mercedes are still working on the recovery plan for the engine and hope to run it again across the remaining six races of the season. 

Taking a grid penalty at Monza makes sense given there are overtaking opportunities, and Mercedes are not expecting to be as competitive as at Zandvoort, where Hamilton was in contention for victory until a late Safety Car. 

Hamilton's former Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, also appears set to take a grid penalty this weekend for an engine change following his failure last weekend.

Hamilton reacted: "We have made so much progress as a team. We close the gap each weekend.

"My third engine was brand new at Spa, is still being worked so I can’t use it right now, so I have to take a fourth.

"That’s my doing.

"We are still hopeful we can use it later on.

"I have to recover as best I can from the back."