Mercedes considering Lewis Hamilton Turkish Grand Prix engine penalty
Thursday, 7 October 2021
The Championship leader is considering his options.
Lewis Hamilton could start the Turkish Grand Prix at the back of the grid on Sunday as Mercedes are considering taking an engine penalty for the Formula 1® championship leader.
Seven-time F1® world champion Hamilton leads Max Verstappen by two points in the battle for the title after winning a dramatic Russian Grand Prix to secure his 100th race victory last month.
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Verstappen worked his way through the field from the back to finish second after the Red Bull driver had a new power unit fitted in Sochi
Hamilton may face the same challenge at Istanbul Park as his team mull over whether to fit his car with a fourth engine of the season, which would take him over the permitted allowance.
Asked if the Silver Arrows could take the penalty this weekend, team principal Toto Wolff told Sky Sports News: "It's a possibility."
Although the German added: "When, and how, is not yet decided."
Wolff says it is vital Mercedes avoid putting Hamilton in a position where he is in danger of not finishing a race.
"Most important is that you don't DNF because of a reliability issue," said Wolff.
"You can cope with swings, whether you finish second, third, I think that is okay, the championship is going to go long. But if you don't finish...
"So we are looking at the parameters of the engines, making sure we don't suffer from any reliability problems."
Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas started in 17th in Sochi after taking an engine penalty.
