{"id":58197,"date":"2022-08-27T18:19:27","date_gmt":"2022-08-27T18:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/how-the-mixed-up-belgian-grand-prix-grid-looks-after-penalties\/"},"modified":"2022-08-27T18:19:27","modified_gmt":"2022-08-27T18:19:27","slug":"how-the-mixed-up-belgian-grand-prix-grid-looks-after-penalties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/how-the-mixed-up-belgian-grand-prix-grid-looks-after-penalties\/","title":{"rendered":"How the mixed up Belgian Grand Prix grid looks after penalties"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Carlos Sainz will start from pole at the Belgian Grand Prix despite not setting the fastest time in qualifying, after a slew of engine and gearbox penalties for drivers set up a wildly mixed up grid for Sunday’s race.<\/p>\n

In a weird quirk of F1’s rules, it means no driver is starting Sunday’s race from the position they qualified.<\/p>\n

The mix up is due to the amount of engine components allowed for drivers before penalties are incurred — the nature of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit makes it an ideal place to make a tactical engine change as there are plenty of overtaking opportunities to allow recoveries from lowly grid positions.<\/p>\n

The seven drivers who took engine and gearbox penalties will hope to make the end of the season without needing to take another.<\/p>\n

Championship leader and reigning champion Max Verstappen and title rival Charles Leclerc start at the rear end of the grid for this reason.<\/p>\n

Six of those seven start from the back and their positions were all dictated by their final qualifying position. However, Alfa Romeo made use of a loophole in the regulations to fit Valtteri Bottas with a new power unit and a gearbox without incurring a “back of grid” penalty (explained below).<\/p>\n

Starting order (and where they qualified):<\/strong><\/p>\n

FRONT ROW<\/strong>
1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) Qualified 2nd<\/em>
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) Qualified 3rd<\/em><\/p>\n

SECOND ROW<\/strong>
3. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) Qualified 6th<\/em>
4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) Qualified 7th<\/em><\/p>\n

THIRD ROW <\/strong>
5. George Russell (Mercedes) Qualified 8th<\/em>
6. Alex Albon (Williams) Qualified 9th<\/em><\/p>\n

FOURTH ROW <\/strong>
7. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) Qualified 11th<\/em>
8. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) Qualified 12th<\/em><\/p>\n

FIFTH ROW<\/strong><\/p>\n

9. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Qualified 14th<\/em>
10. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), Qualified 16th<\/em><\/p>\n

SIXTH ROW<\/strong><\/p>\n

11. Nicholas Latifi (Williams), Qualified 17th <\/em>
12. Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Qualified 18th<\/em><\/p>\n

SEVENTH ROW <\/strong><\/p>\n

13. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Qualified 19th<\/em>
14. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) Qualified 20th <\/em>*Penalty<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although Bottas’ total penalty equated to 20 places on the grid — which would normally be a “back of grid” penalty — because Alfa Romeo spread the penalties with 15 places for the power unit and five for the gearbox, rather than making 20 places worth of changes in a single penalty, he technically has a 20-place penalty rather than a “back of grid” penalty.<\/p>\n

As a result, his 20-place penalty means he starts ahead of drivers with a “back of grid” penalty. The FIA \u200b\u200bintends to close the loophole for future races.<\/p>\n

EIGHTH ROW <\/strong><\/p>\n

15. Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Qualified 1st<\/em> *Penalty<\/strong>
16. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Qualified 4th <\/em>*Penalty <\/strong><\/p>\n

NINTH ROW <\/strong><\/p>\n

17. Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Qualified 5th<\/em> *Penalty <\/strong>
18. Lando Norris (McLaren) Qualified 10th<\/em> *Penalty <\/strong><\/p>\n

TENTH ROW <\/strong><\/p>\n

19. Zhou Guanyu (Alpha Romeo), Qualified 13th<\/em> *Penalty<\/strong>
20. Mick Schumacher (Haas), Qualified 15th<\/em> *Penalty<\/strong><\/p>\n