Formula One world champion Lando Norris is determined to bounce back from a challenging start to his Belgian Grand Prix weekend after receiving a 10-place grid penalty for replacing the power electronics unit in his McLaren.
Expressing his resolve on Thursday, Norris said he hopes the penalty will not end his weekend prematurely and remains confident about achieving a positive result despite the setback.
Last year at Spa-Francorchamps, Norris began the race from pole position, while his teammate Oscar Piastri secured the victory. However, McLaren has encountered difficulties with pace this season and currently ranks third in the constructors’ championship, trailing leaders Mercedes and Ferrari.
Formula One regulations, drivers are allowed three power electronics units per season. Norris exceeded this limit when McLaren opted to install a fourth unit, which automatically triggered the grid penalty.
McLaren revealed that Norris’s initial power electronics unit suffered a critical failure during the Chinese Grand Prix in March, preventing him from starting that race. The second unit was introduced at the Japanese Grand Prix later that month but was withdrawn after problems arose during practice sessions. Although repaired, it encountered another terminal failure during practice at the Monaco Grand Prix in June.
While the unit installed in Japan and used since the Miami Grand Prix has been reliable, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains has since implemented a series of reliability upgrades. To benefit from these improvements, McLaren decided to fit a new unit, accepting the consequent 10-place grid penalty for Norris.
The team strategically chose the Belgian Grand Prix for the penalty, citing Spa-Francorchamps’ greater overtaking opportunities compared to the upcoming races in Hungary and the Netherlands. The new power electronics unit is expected to remain in use for the rest of the season.
Norris acknowledged the challenge posed by the penalty but attributed it to a run of bad luck with component failures involving the engine, power unit, and controls. He added that being on the back foot regarding spare parts is beyond his control and that Spa is a preferable track to serve the penalty compared to the next two events.
Meanwhile, teammate Oscar Piastri will receive the latest Mercedes engine specification without incurring any penalty, as he has not experienced similar reliability issues. McLaren is the last of the four Mercedes-powered teams to upgrade to the newest engine version, following their planned schedule.
