Hamilton to take hefty grid penalty
LEWIS Hamilton will start Sunday’s Belgian Formula One Grand Prix from near the back of the grid because of an engine-related penalty, but the championship leader is confident the setback will not halt his momentum.
The Mercedes driver is set to take a hefty penalty for exceeding his allowed allocation of engine components after early-season reliability woes left him short of parts.
“As far as I’m aware, we will be taking the penalty this weekend,” the Mercedes driver told reporters at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit yesterday. “I have no engines left.” How many places he will drop on the grid, however, remains unclear, with a team spokesman saying that the Briton was expected to start at or very close to the back of the grid.
Drivers are limited to using a maximum of five power units, and the respective components that comprise them, over the course of a season.
Any breach is punished with a sliding scale of grid penalties while taking on a completely fresh power unit forces a driver to start at the very back of the grid.
Hamilton was long aware that he would have to drop places on the grid in either Belgium or at the next race in Italy, with both held on fast circuits that offer greater opportunities for overtaking.
But the penalty dents his hopes of becoming only the third driver in history to score a landmark 50th victory this weekend.
“In terms of winning, it’s going to be very, very hard,” said the triple world champion.
“But I’ll do everything I can.”
Hamilton leads teammate Nico Rosberg by 19 points in the standings, having closed out the opening half of the season with a streak of six wins from the last seven races.
The 31-year-old, who trailed Rosberg by 43 points after May’s Spanish Grand Prix, scored the last four of those in succession and yesterday appeared unfazed by the prospect of the penalty halting his charge.
“That (penalty) will come into play for sure,” said Hamilton.
“Otherwise, beyond that – I think I will be able to continue with the momentum that I had before the break.”
Meanwile, Hamilton’s grid penalty may be the break Rosberg needs to re-ignite his title bid, but the German is refusing to take victory on Sunday for granted.
“That is going to make the weekend less difficult for me, for sure, because he is my biggest direct rival,” Rosberg told reporters at Spa yesterday. “Nevertheless, it’s still going to be a challenge.”
Hamilton, in the form of his life, could also charge through the field with the 7km Spa circuit offering plenty of overtaking opportunities.
“If we remember four weeks ago I finished behind two Red Bulls,” said Rosberg, referring to the last race in Germany where he started from pole but ended up fourth.
“I still need to beat all the opposition and Lewis, always need to reckon with him because with a bit of luck and safety cars at the right moment there is no reason why he can’t come from far back and through the grid.”
Rosberg led Hamilton by 43 points after May’s Spanish Grand Prix but has since steadily lost ground to the Briton, who has blitzed his way to those six wins from seven races. – Reuters