Why McLaren are questioning Max Verstappen’s F1 power unit change in Brazil

McLaren are seeking clarity from the FIA over whether Red Bull’s decision to change Max Verstappen’s power unit will impact their cost cap spending.

Red Bull opted to start Verstappen from the pit lane in Sao Paulo on Sunday to allow them to make significant setup changes to his car.

By starting from the pit lane, it enabled Red Bull to give Verstappen a fresh Honda power unit for the remaining part of the season.

All teams have to manage their engine components throughout the year.

Any driver who uses more than the number of power unit elements specified by the FIA must take a grid penalty.

Teams are keen to avoid such penalties - and the potential additional cost of another engine.

Unsurprisingly, McLaren are concerned about Red Bull’s decision to give Verstappen a fresh power unit.

It should provide Verstappen with a minor performance benefit, which could prove crucial at races such as Las Vegas due to the long straights.

Speaking to reporters after the race in Sao Paulo, McLaren boss Andrea Stella explained why the team plans to query whether this engine change for Red Bull will impact the cost cap for this season.

“To be honest, these kind of power unit changes, they challenge the regulations,” Stella said.

“I will be interested in understanding if the cost of this engine now goes in the cost cap or not.

“If the engine was changed for performance reasons, it should go in the cost cap. So let’s see if this is the case, not that I will be able to see, as it’s all on the Red Bull side.

“But this is also one reason why we wouldn’t do it, because it would end up in the cost cap.”

Red Bull’s view

Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies conceded they had planned to finish the season without giving Verstappen a new power unit.

However, Verstappen’s shock Q1 exit at Interlagos gave them the opportunity to do so.

It paid off, as Verstappen produced a scintillating drive to finish third after starting from the pit lane.

“It’s always good to fit a new engine,” Mekies explained. “It’s fair to say that in the last part of the season, we were on schedule to finish the year without needing the change.

“We just felt that we would take the opportunity mainly because we wanted to change the car again.

“It’s difficult to give you a number, but the gaps are small enough for everything to be important.”