Red Bull boss Helmut Marko is sure that Lewis Hamilton will receive a grid penalty due to engine change in one of the remaining race weekends.
There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Mercedes’ engine reliability over the last few weeks. The seven-time World Champion met with a 10 place grid penalty in Turkey for changing his internal combustion engine. However, Marko and Red Bull are convinced that Hamilton will need a completely new engine before the season ends.
An engine penalty for Lewis could have a substantial effect in the fight for the Championship. His teammate Valtteri Bottas has already taken multiple grid penalties and has changed his power unit three times.
“We remain convinced that Hamilton needs a new engine,” the Austrian said.
Also read: F1 veteran argues Lewis Hamilton would beat Max Verstappen in ‘identical cars’
Red Bull will not be taking any more engine penalties
Both Verstappen and Sergio Perez have already brought new engine components and have served grid penalties earlier this year. Marko does not expect either driver to experience any more issues with their power units.
“Under normal circumstances we will not need to change engines.” he said.
Helmut Marko said that a penalty for Hamilton would be an advantage for them. However, he feels that the Red Bull car adapts to weather conditions better than the Silver Arrows. That is something that he and the team want to focus on in the coming weeks.
“We are going to races where it is hot and in the past that has given us an advantage,” he added. Max Verstappen is currently 12 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the driver’s Championship. Meanwhile, Red Bull are 23 points behind Mercedes in the constructor’s standings.
The fight for the title resumes this weekend in Mexico City. The track’s altitude and low air density make it a favourite hunting ground for Red Bull on paper.
