Editorial illustration of a red Formula 1 car racing around the rain-soaked Interlagos circuit at dusk under dark clouds.

São Paulo GP Grid Penalties: Hamilton and Verstappen to Start at the Back — What Happened at Interlagos

Posted by genz team November 7, 2026

São Paulo GP Grid Penalties: Hamilton and Verstappen to Start at the Back — What Happened at Interlagos

The São Paulo Grand Prix has not even started yet, and already five drivers know they will be fighting from the back. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen — two of the biggest names in Formula 1 — will both start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid at Interlagos after a cascade of engine penalties, with Charles Leclerc and George Russell also demoted and Sergio Pérez joining them at the rear.

The penalties all stem from the same cause: power unit changes beyond the season’s permitted allocation. Each driver is allowed a limited number of each engine component per season. The first time a driver exceeds the allocation for a component, he drops ten places; further breaches add five more, and anything above fifteen places sends him to the back of the grid.

BLUF: Five drivers will serve grid penalties at the São Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will both start from the back of the grid — Hamilton after Ferrari was forced to replace his entire power unit following an engine failure in final practice, and Verstappen after Red Bull fitted a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger and exhaust. Charles Leclerc drops ten places, George Russell five, and Sergio Pérez also starts from the back. The 71-lap race at Interlagos starts at 5pm UK time, with rain forecast.

At a Glance

  • Back of the grid: Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Sergio Pérez (Cadillac).
  • Ten-place drop: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).
  • Five-place drop: George Russell (Mercedes).
  • Why: All five exceeded their season allocation of power unit components after fitting new engines at Interlagos.
  • Hamilton’s drama: Already facing a ten-place penalty for a fifth internal combustion engine, his new engine began smoking in final practice after just seven laps. Ferrari replaced the whole power unit, triggering a back-of-the-grid start.
  • Verstappen’s penalty: A 30-place cumulative penalty for a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger and exhaust — confirmed by team principal Laurent Mekies ahead of final practice.
  • The race: Sunday, 8 November 2026, 71 laps at Interlagos, São Paulo. Start time 5pm UK time, live on Sky Sports F1. Rain is forecast.
  • Qualifying: Saturday, 6pm UK time, with heavy rain hitting the São Paulo area after final practice.

Hamilton’s Engine Drama

Hamilton’s weekend began badly and got worse. Ferrari had already fitted a fifth internal combustion engine to his car — one more than the season permits — which meant a ten-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race. It was part of a difficult weekend for the team, which had endured what The Race described as Ferrari’s worst Friday of the 2026 season at Interlagos.

Then, in Saturday’s final practice session, the new engine ran into almost immediate problems. Smoke began emanating from the car, and Hamilton was restricted to just seven laps. The engine was removed for further checks, and Ferrari confirmed ahead of qualifying that it would replace the entire power unit — a move that added further penalties and sent the seven-time world champion to the back of the grid. He will still take part in qualifying, but whatever he achieves there will not matter for his starting position on Sunday.

His team-mate Leclerc fared only slightly better. The Monegasque driver also took a new internal combustion engine and will serve the original ten-place penalty, starting no higher than eleventh on Sunday.

Verstappen Joins Him at the Back

Verstappen’s penalty was confirmed before Hamilton’s drama unfolded. The four-time world champion had complained of engine and clutch problems over the radio on Friday, and later reported issues with his steering, despite finishing third in both practice sessions. Red Bull decided to fit a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger and exhaust — each the first component outside his allocated pool — resulting in a cumulative 30-place grid penalty and a start from the back of the 22-car grid.

Team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed the decision ahead of Saturday’s final practice. “We will have to take an engine penalty with Max. He will start from the back — a position he knows very well here after the last two years,” he said. Verstappen still set the fastest time in final practice, ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli, but the pace counts for little when the penalty is applied after qualifying.

Pérez, racing for the new Cadillac team, is in the same position after receiving a new Ferrari-supplied internal combustion engine, turbocharger and MGU-K — also a 30-place cumulative penalty. Russell’s situation is less severe: the Mercedes driver will drop five places after taking a sixth internal combustion engine, his second engine penalty in four races.

What It Means for the Race

The penalties scramble the championship picture as well as the grid. Just 16 points separate Verstappen from fifth-placed Leclerc in the standings, with Hamilton and Russell sitting between them — and all four now start Sunday’s race compromised. With rain forecast and qualifying itself threatened by heavy downpours that hit São Paulo after final practice, the grid order may yet be shuffled further before the lights go out.

Interlagos has a long history of producing comeback drives, and the circuit’s long uphill straight and two DRS zones make overtaking possible. Both Hamilton and Verstappen have won from the back of the field in Brazil before, and Verstappen in particular has made a habit of recovering through the pack at this track. Starting last does not end their races — but with a wet forecast and a 71-lap grand prix ahead, Sunday promises to be one of the most unpredictable races of the season.

People Also Ask

Why are Hamilton and Verstappen starting at the back in Brazil?

Both drivers exceeded their season allocation of power unit components. Verstappen took a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger and exhaust, a cumulative 30-place penalty. Hamilton initially faced a ten-place drop for a fifth engine, but after his new engine failed in final practice, Ferrari replaced the whole power unit, sending him to the back of the grid.

Which drivers have grid penalties at the São Paulo Grand Prix?

Five drivers: Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez start from the back of the grid, Charles Leclerc drops ten places, and George Russell drops five places. All the penalties are for power unit changes beyond the permitted season allocation.

When is the São Paulo Grand Prix 2026?

The race is on Sunday, 8 November 2026, at Interlagos in São Paulo. It is 71 laps, starts at 5pm UK time, and is live on Sky Sports F1. Qualifying takes place on Saturday at 6pm UK time, with rain forecast for both days.

Can Hamilton and Verstappen still win from the back of the grid?

It is possible but difficult. Interlagos is one of the easiest circuits on the calendar for overtaking, and both drivers have recovered through the field in Brazil before. Rain, which is forecast for Sunday, could also shake up the order — but starting last means fighting through 20 cars over 71 laps.