Five drivers will start lower than they qualify for Sunday's São Paulo Grand Prix after a wave of engine penalties reshuffled the Interlagos grid.

Max Verstappen faces the heaviest punishment. Red Bull fitted a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger and exhaust to his car after problems emerged during Friday practice, taking him over his season allowance on all three parts. The changes add up to 30 places of penalties, so the four-time world champion will start from the back of the grid whatever he does in qualifying.

Lewis Hamilton joins him at the back, but only after a dramatic twist. Ferrari had fitted a fifth internal combustion engine to both of its cars, earning Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc 10-place drops each. Hamilton's new engine then ran into trouble almost immediately in final practice, with smoke coming from the car after just seven laps. Ferrari removed the unit for checks and replaced the whole power unit, triggering the extra penalties that send him to the back.

Leclerc keeps his original 10-place penalty, while Mercedes driver George Russell drops five places for a sixth internal combustion engine, the second time he has exceeded that part's limit this season. Cadillac newcomer Sergio Perez also starts from the back after taking a new Ferrari-supplied engine, turbocharger and energy recovery unit.

The penalties arrive at a tense moment in the championship fight. Verstappen, who won in Mexico City last weekend, sits second in the drivers' standings, just 16 points ahead of fifth-placed Leclerc, with Hamilton and Russell between them. All five drivers must now fight through the field on a circuit famous for overtaking, with rain forecast for Sunday's race.

[Source: formula1.com](https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hamilton-leclerc-and-verstappen-set-for-sao-paulo-grand-prix-penalties-after-power-unit-changes.7B5CuFFCN1F6Txc8YwcEhd) | [Source: skysports.com](https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/13609202/sao-paulo-gp-grid-penalties-lewis-hamilton-max-verstappen-charles-leclerc-to-drop-down-interlagos-grid)