Ferrari has opted to provide Carlos Sainz's car with a new engine. It ensures that the Spaniard faces a five-place grid penalty this weekend and therefore cannot start from pole position.
Sainz is already using a sixth power source with the change, which means he will receive another penalty from race control. Later in the day, the driver will therefore have to try hard to grab a place in the top ten for Saturday's sprint race.
Preparing for next season
It seems Ferrari is already anticipating next season with the new engine. Behind the scenes, the team is working hard to get a strong car on the grid in 2023 with which it can make a serious bid for the world title.
In Brazil, the Italian formation used the same tactics. It resulted in Sainz falling short of the fifth final spot, while Charles Leclerc's drive was good for sixth position. While Sainz can still finish fifth in the world championship, Leclerc is battling Sergio Perez for second place.