The power unit used by Lewis Hamilton in the Formula 1 race in Belgium was sent back to the Mercedes engine department in Brixworth for inspection after his collision with Fernando Alonso.
Should it be too badly damaged to be used again, the seven-time world champion will face a grid penalty in the near future.
Hamilton’s W13 hit the ground hard after making contact with Alonso on the first lap of the race.
Onboard footage of Alonso and other following cars showed liquid leaking from the rear of the Mercedes, while Hamilton reported he could feel damage.
Is the engine still usable?
The team examined the car’s telemetry and about 38 seconds after impact it was told by its engineer, Peter Bonnington, to slow down. About 50 seconds after the impact, the announcement was made to stop and park the car on the right-hand side of the track.
Hamilton initially proceeded slowly before responding to further requests to stop and shutting down the engine about 90 seconds after the hard landing.
Bonnington’s announcements and the smoke from the car suggest that the V6 might not be all right, even if it only ran without coolant for a relatively short time. An investigation should provide information.
Mercedes “definitely worried”
As a Mercedes spokesman confirmed, the unit was sent back to Brixworth for this purpose. After that, a decision should be made as to whether it can be used again. The condition is “definitely a concern,” said the spokesman.
Hamilton had only used two V6 units before driving his third of the year at Spa on Friday.
So it was almost brand new. It should last around seven race weekends and, at best, allow Hamilton to race into late 2022 with no further changes. Losing it could be costly.
Hamilton is currently at its limit with its last MGU-K (also new in Spa), the turbo, the MGU-H, the control electronics and the energy storage unit, so that any further copies of these parts will also result in a grid penalty.
Damage also to the gearbox
The team says its earlier copies, the PU1 and PU2, are still operational. However, they now have a high mileage. Teams usually save such engines for Friday practice.
Hamilton’s gearbox was also severely damaged in the impact at Spa. Should it prove no longer viable, he will have to take a third set at Zandvoort. But that will not result in a penalty.