Lewis Hamilton will start from the back of the grid for the Italian Grand Prix due to an engine change penalty. Mercedes have decided to fit a fourth power unit in Hamilton’s car for the Monza race after his third engine was damaged in his first-lap collision with Fernando Alonso at Spa-Francorchamps.
The unit, which suffered a 45G impact in the first lap crash and subsequently lost fluid, was flown to the Mercedes factory in Brixworth for examination to see if it was serviceable again.
The initial prognosis isn’t positive, and Mercedes doesn’t feel comfortable adding the unit back to Hamilton’s engine pool. That has led to the conclusion of fitting a fourth power unit in Hamilton’s car for this weekend, which will result in a start from the back of the grid.
Can engine parts still be saved from Belgium?
Formula 1 drivers will only be allowed to use three engines in 2022 and prior to the Spa incident things seemed to be working out for Hamilton this season. However, with the loss of the Belgium engine, Mercedes have no choice but to make a switch – and Monza at least offer some good overtaking opportunities that could give Hamilton a chance to catch up in the race.
In addition, due to the high air resistance of the W13, Mercedes should not be in danger of jeopardizing a possible race victory for Hamilton with the engine swap, since Red Bull is the big favorite for the race in Monza.
It is also understood that the Mercedes team is still looking into what can be done with the third unit to see if some of the components can be salvaged.
Should those efforts be successful, some items could be used for Friday practice sessions, which would help increase the mileage of Hamilton’s remaining power unit.
Bottas with third grid penalty in six races
Hamilton won’t be the only one who needs a new engine for the Italian weekend. It has already been confirmed that Valtteri Bottas will also start with a new engine. Plus, there’s still a chance Red Bull will use this weekend to put Sergio Perez on his fourth power unit as the Mexican will need an extra engine at some point.
The forthcoming Singapore and Japanese Grands Prix are not the ideal circuits for engine penalties due to the difficulty of overtaking and with the Red Bull being so quick on the straights Monza would offer Perez the best opportunity to fight his way back up front if he starts from behind.
Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas, meanwhile, will face his third grid penalty in the last six races at Monza after retiring with an engine failure at last week’s race in Zandvoort.
Why Alfa Romeo changes again despite spare parts
At the Dutch Grand Prix, the Finn parked at the end of the pit lane when he turned in on lap 54, triggering a safety car phase. Bottas still has two viable Ferrari power units in his pool, but the Swiss team now knows he’ll need another specimen this season.
So you don’t want to risk having to install a new engine for the upcoming races in Singapore and Suzuka, where overtaking is more difficult and starting positions are therefore decisive.
Bottas has been one of the unluckiest drivers in the field this season. After the races in Austria and Belgium, the Alfa Romeo driver will have to accept his third grid penalty of the season in Italy, more than any other Formula 1 driver this season.
Team boss Vasseur: Reliability “cost us a fortune in points”
Team principal Frederic Vasseur recently acknowledged that reliability issues have cost Alfa Romeo dearly this year, and not just those with supplier Ferrari’s power unit.
“As always, it’s not just about one thing,” he says. “I think the Ferrari engine has taken a step forward. We’ve done the same job on the chassis too. And I think that Valtteri and [Guanyu] Zhou work well. All in all, it’s a good move.”
“In terms of results, we also had some reliability issues. That cost us a fortune in points. We’ve been in very good form at some events, like Jeddah or Silverstone, and on a couple of occasions with Zhou as well.”
“It’s a real shame for us and for the championship. But it is what it is and we just have to fix it for the second part of the season.”