Carlos Sainz’s Japanese Grand Prix weekend has gotten off to a poor start after he was hit with a 20-place grid penalty for using three separate engine elements above his allocation of four of each for the season at Suzuka on Friday.
The Toro Rosso driver has taken on a sixth MGU-K, a fifth internal combustion engine and a fifth turbocharger to make up the penalty tally as his engine problems from earlier in the year meant he was unable to complete the year without a new power unit
It wouldn’t get any better when the Spaniard hit the track either as he would cause a red flag midway through Practice 1 after losing the rear of his car on the exit of the Hairpin after running too far over the kerb.
It is a setback for the junior Red Bull team on a circuit that would be expected to better suit them and their chassis but with Sainz at the back and Gasly struggling for pace in the first session and losing track time due to the washout in the afternoon, points are going to be hard to come by.
