Leclerc, Alonso receive US GP grid drops after engine changes
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and Alpine’s Fernando Alonso will take grid penalties for the F1 United States Grand Prix after changing their engines.
The FIA confirmed following the start of final practice at Austin on Saturday that Leclerc had taken on a new internal combustion engine and turbocharger, while Alonso has moved onto his fifth V6.
Leclerc is set to serve a 10-place grid penalty at COTA, with Alonso dropping five positions from wherever he qualifies.
Ferrari has been forced to exceed Leclerc’s allocation of power unit components for 2022 after the Monegasque suffered engine failures while leading in Spain and Baku earlier this year.
Leclerc and Alonso join Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu in the list of drivers facing engine-related grid drops for Sunday’s grand prix.