Max Verstappen’s Friday at the Mexican Grand Prix was marred by engine troubles, leading team principal Christian Horner to suggest that a grid penalty for exceeding power unit limits may not be ruled out. After reporting a “weird noise” in his Honda power unit during practice, Verstappen was only able to complete 18 laps across both sessions. Although he finished the first practice session with the fourth fastest time, concerns about engine reliability overshadowed his performance.
In the first practice session, Verstappen experienced a lack of power from his engine, causing him to sit out the final minutes. His struggles continued in the second practice session, where he noted a disturbing noise coming from the engine. Despite being instructed by his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, to keep driving, Verstappen ultimately decided to return to the pits without setting a time. Red Bull later confirmed that they would investigate the power unit issue further, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.
The timing of these engine issues is particularly critical for Verstappen, as he is already on the limit with his engine components. Having exceeded his allocation of Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) this season, he had previously incurred a grid penalty at the Belgian Grand Prix when he switched to his fifth engine. Horner acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the situation, emphasizing that “you’re always on the limit” and indicating that further discussions with their engine partner are necessary.
Despite the frustrating day, Verstappen described his experience at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez as “a day to forget,” mentioning that he only managed a few laps with minimal data to assess. His limited time on the track left him feeling unproductive, yet he appeared resigned to the possibility of a penalty, suggesting it would be manageable if it occurred.
In contrast to Verstappen’s perspective, Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko dismissed the likelihood of a grid penalty, expressing confidence in the team’s ability to resolve the engine issues without incurring further penalties. As he prepares for the Mexican Grand Prix, Verstappen maintains a commanding 57-point lead over Lando Norris in the championship race, following the FIA’s rejection of McLaren’s appeal concerning Norris’ penalty from the previous race.