Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc also takes a blow during the second race of the new F1 season. After all, the Monegask will collect a grid penalty of at least ten places.
During the first race of the season, Ferrari already changed some parts of Leclerc’s Ferrari engine and Ferrari will also use new engine parts in Saudi Arabia. For example, Ferrari will use at least a third of the control electronics, while only two are allowed during a full F1 season.
Leclerc will therefore have to move back ten places on the starting grid for the Saudi Arabian GP. The grid penalty may increase even further if Ferrari decides to collect an additional penalty.
“It’s something we’ve never experienced in the past and I hope we’ve got it under control now,” Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur told BBC Sport. “Unfortunately we will take the grid penalty in Jeddah because only two ECUs are allowed to be used during an F1 season.”