Japanese GP: Fernando Alonso set for 35-place grid penalty after engine change
Written by News on 07/10/2017
Fernando Alonso is set to receive a 35-place grid penalty and start the Japanese GP from last after McLaren-Honda made more engine component changes.
McLaren broke the overnight curfew to perform a complete engine change after discovering a hydraulic leak following Friday practice at Suzuka.
Alonso has received his eighth internal combustion engine (ICE), 10th turbocharger and MGU-H, eighth MGU-K, seventh energy store and sixth control electronics.
Each car is only allowed four of each component through the season before facing a penalty.
Alonso had posted the 12th fastest time in Practice One in dry running but did not complete a timed lap during the wet afternoon session.
The two-time world champion had been hoping for a positive result in the final home race of Honda’s partnership with McLaren.
"This is the last race with Honda here and after all the difficulties over the last three years, all the lack of results, I am still very proud of this project and it would be nice to end it with a nice race here," he said on Thursday.
"We are a little bit more optimistic after Malaysia because to have both cars in Q3 there was unexpected. We still need to be concerned that the power sensitivity here is quite high so we will struggle but hopefully not a lot compared to Malaysia."
Meanwhile Jolyon Palmer has also received a 20-place grid penalty for component changes. Renault added a fifth ICE, sixth turbocharger and sixth MGU-H ahead of Practice Three.
Three drivers have now received penalties for engine changes this weekend after Carlos Sainz got a 20-place drop on Friday.
Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas has also received a five-place demotion for an unscheduled gearbox change.
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(c) Sky News 2017: Japanese GP: Fernando Alonso set for 35-place grid penalty after engine change
