The upcoming Belgian Grand Prix is the fourteenth spherical of the 2024 season, and Visa Money App RB driver Yuki Tsunoda has already used all of his allotted Purple Bull Drivetrains engine replacements for the season. Each time a regulated “energy unit aspect” is changed, it comes with a ten-spot grid penalty. The RB group figured since Tsunoda’s automobile wanted a brand new engine after Hungary, they could as nicely go for broke and substitute all the pieces.
Forward of the race at Spa Francorchamps this weekend, the group have put in Yuki’s fifth inner combustion engine, fifth turbocharger, fifth MGU-H, fifth MGU-Ok, third vitality retailer, and third electronics management unit. Six energy unit parts means a 60-place grid penalty. Yuki might theoretically seize pole in qualifying on Saturday and he’d nonetheless have to begin the race from final.
There are nonetheless ten extra Grands Prix to compete on this yr, and Yuki has already run out of free substitute tokens. For the remainder of the season, if any of those elements should be changed, Yuki can have an extra 10-place penalty. The season is simply barely previous the midway level, so you’ll be able to wager that he’ll be awarded journeys to the again of the grid at the very least just a few extra occasions this season.
It’s price noting that the factors chief and defending World Drivers’ Champion Max Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez are additionally electing to put in their fifth inner combustion engines, whereas Tsunoda’s RB teammate Daniel Ricciardo continues to be holding sturdy along with his fourth (and last earlier than penalty).
Purple Bull and RB, each groups which use Purple Bull’s in-house drivetrain, largely primarily based on the group’s previous Honda-supplied engines, are utilizing considerably extra engines than the Mercedes- and Ferrari-powered opponents, most of that are nonetheless on their third ICE. Mixed with Purple Bull’s latest lack of comparative tempo to the Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren competitors, this might spell catastrophe for Verstappen’s title protection bid. This lack of reliability will nearly actually imply Purple Bull loses its protection of the constructors’ title.
These Ford powertrain improvement {dollars} can’t come Purple Bull’s means quickly sufficient, I feel.