News summary
- Power-unit problems disrupted Verstappen’s qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and left him eighth on the grid.
- Red Bull changed components within his existing allocation before the race, avoiding a penalty in Baku.
- Mekies says a future grid drop remains uncertain until the team has inspected the removed engine.
Red Bull has yet to determine whether Max Verstappen will need to take a power-unit grid penalty during the remainder of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The decision rests on an inspection of the engine removed from his car after qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Verstappen had topped final practice in Baku, but engine and battery problems undermined his qualifying. Reduced power cost him speed on the straights, while the associated energy-management problems disrupted his laps. He qualified eighth, having expected to fight much closer to the front.
Red Bull changed components before Saturday’s race, drawing on Verstappen’s existing allocation. That allowed him to start without a grid penalty, and the car’s performance recovered: he finished second, 0.196 seconds behind George Russell, as teammate Isack Hadjar completed a double podium for the team. The change did, however, raise the question of whether Red Bull has enough usable engines to cover the remaining rounds.
Verstappen said after qualifying that he expected a grid penalty at some point. Mekies was less certain when asked about that prospect. “It is not clear yet,” the team principal said. The answer depends on Red Bull’s analysis of the qualifying problems and whether the engine taken out of Verstappen’s car can be used again.
“It will very much depend on our analysis of the issues we had with his engine,” Mekies said. He explained that the team would then assess whether Verstappen could reach the end of the season using the fourth engine already in his allocation. Mekies did not confirm that another engine change, or a penalty, would be necessary.
The Red Bull chief said the team had encountered two different power-unit issues in qualifying, which had significantly affected Verstappen’s performance. In Mekies’ assessment, the Dutchman had been quick enough to contend for a front-row start without those problems. Replacing the affected unit restored the level of performance Red Bull had expected for the race.
If the removed engine passes inspection and remains available, Red Bull may be able to manage the rest of the season without introducing another unit. If the team instead uses a regulated component beyond Verstappen’s permitted allocation, a grid penalty would apply at the event where that component is first fitted. No penalty has been announced for the next race at Sepang.
The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia takes place from 2 to 4 October.
F1 today: FAQ
When is the next F1 race after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia takes place at Sepang on Sunday, 4 October 2026. The race starts at 08:00 BST, 03:00 US Eastern time and 15:00 in Malaysia.
Who leads the 2026 F1 championship after Baku?
Kimi Antonelli leads with 302 points, 66 ahead of Mercedes teammate George Russell, who has 236. Russell reduced the gap by 15 points with his Azerbaijan GP victory.
What penalty will Franco Colapinto serve at the next F1 race?
Colapinto has a five-place grid penalty for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia after causing the Baku collision involving Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris.
Will Max Verstappen take a grid penalty at Sepang?
Red Bull has not confirmed one. The team is inspecting the engine removed in Baku before deciding whether another change will be needed.
