Engine changes at Mercedes is shameful: 'I just don't understand it'
09:33, 13 Nov 2021
5 Comments
Mercedes have changed their engine again. Lewis Hamilton has a five place grid penalty for the Brazilian Grand Prix due to a new internal combustion engine, as this is already his fifth this season. Toyoharu Tanabe, Honda's technical director, doesn't understand why Mercedes keep exceeding the allowed limit.
Officially, a team is allowed to make three engine changes in a Formula 1 season. Each additional engine change results in a grid penalty, as was the case with the seven-time World Champion. Tanabe is surprised that Mercedes are changing another engine especially because it is very annoying for the manufacturer.
"I don't understand what is going on at Mercedes and why. From the point of view of the power unit manufacturer, it's disappointing to get a grid penalty for a driver," the Japanese man told Formel1.de.
There are enough power units available, but changing is not necessary
Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri have also had to make several engine changes and the technical director admits he's not entirely happy about that. He believes this is mainly due to some accidents, such as the crash at Silverstone, but Tanabe doesn't expect any more problems. "The current plan is that we will get through the season with the existing powertrains, with all the drivers. At the moment we have enough power units available for all drivers."
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F1-stand 2026
Season
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | MercedesMER | 156 | |
2 | FerrariFER | 115 | |
3 | MercedesMER | 106 | |
4 | FerrariFER | 75 | |
5 | McLarenMCL | 73 | |
6 | McLarenMCL | 70 | |
7 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 55 | |
8 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 37 | |
9 | AlpineALP | 32 | |
10 | Racing BullsRCB | 28 |
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