Leclerc set for Baku engine penalty
"I’ll probably get a penalty at some point"
Charles Leclerc is now expected to take a grid penalty in Baku, with Ferrari apparently unwilling to race the upgraded engine removed from his heavily crashed Monza car.
The power unit was withdrawn from Leclerc’s allocation for Madrid after his Parabolica accident and sent for detailed checks, forcing him back onto an older specification without Ferrari’s latest ADUO upgrade.
"As far as I know, they’re still checking it, so we’ll see," Leclerc said after the Madrid GP.
"I don’t know yet. If we can keep it, that would be great."
"If not, I’ll probably get a penalty at some point."
Auto Motor und Sport reports that further inspections found no irreparable damage, meaning the Monza engine can remain in Leclerc’s pool.
However, Ferrari reportedly does not want to risk racing it again.
The plan is for Leclerc to use that engine during Friday practice in Azerbaijan before switching to a fresh unit for the remainder of the weekend, triggering a grid penalty.
Team boss Fred Vasseur had already hinted in Madrid that Baku was the likely place to absorb it.
"We’ll see when we have to accept an engine penalty with Charles," said the Frenchman. "But I think Baku should be quite suitable."