Vandoorne New Engine, 65 Place Grid Penalty

[Paul Jeffrey]

The hilarious engine grid penalty rule strikes again in Spa, leaving home driver Stoffel Vandoorne with a 65-place grid drop for Sunday.

Making it so Vandoorne will have to begin the race from the very bottom of the grid tomorrow, yet more woe would be piled on the Belgian driver as Honda confirm they have once again changed engine in the McLaren car, adding to the previously amassed 35-place penalty for the use of an upgraded unit prior to the beginning of the weekend.

Unfortunately for Honda, McLaren and Vandoorne the changes to the Power Unit mean Vandoorne will revert to an older specification, making do without the upgraded parts developed by Honda for this race.

Free Practice 3 and Qualifying continue later today. For all the news and laptimes, check out our Discussion Thread and join the conversation.

 

[Kasti]

65 place penalty... what if they have to change anything else this weekend. This shows how strange FIA rules and regulations of today are.

 

[Rhian]

Farcical - the rules i mean, and i suppose Honda too

 

[James Cook]

Does this mean his grid spot is somewhere near Blanchimont?

 

[The Arj Guy]

Does this mean his grid spot is somewhere near Blanchimont?

No, I think it is somewhere in Narnia

 

[John Jorell]

Let's face it, rules are rules. But in this case, the rules are just hilariously ridiculous. I really pity Stoffel on this one.

 

[Yapci]

He should start with -2laps and just three wheels. 65 positions is kinda soft penalty.

 

[InsaneOzzie]

Really, a 65 place grid penalty, seriously, how ridiculous, is there no common sense in F1?

 

[Deleted member 6919]

This part of F1 is just stupidity and has to be sorted...

 

[Terry Rock]

He might as well be starting from Hungary with that grid drop.
It gives him just as good of a chance.
It's a stupid rule and quite frankly 'team-killing' for the lower budget organizations when it happens.

 

[Mitja Bonca]

FIA rules are so ridiculous that cannot be more. What a shame for such an organization.

 

[Peter Klawitter]

maybe that means he is 2laps down???????? LOL what ridiculous regulations...joke really!

 

[aphidgod]

Does it really matter where the McLarens start? They won't be finishing anyway.

 

[kondor999]

He should start with -2laps and just three wheels. 65 positions is kinda soft penalty.

He's starting with a Honda power unit.
That should be punishment enough.

 

[Jan Larsen]

Yep, especially since it cant do fast corners either. Alonso's Honda conked out because he took Pouhon flat...
The chassis actually looks half decent, what a shame.

 

[RasmusP]

I'm just sitting here, thinking about the ridiculous penalty.
Then it comes to my mind that it is for the case of other drivers getting something like 35 grid penalty or 55 grid penalty so they can decide the order of the last places...
Then I think about it again: still ridiculous

 

[Heinz Müller]

Maybe he should start from Blanchimont? xD

 

[delpinsky]

He could easily score a world record for the number of overtakings during a single lap!

 

[Short_Circut]

Eh, even with a 65 grid penalty he'd still be ahead of the Saubers

 

[Raikku]

Would be so cool to have over 50 participants in F1 races.