Two F1 stars hit with major Belgian GP grid penalty after Lando Norris punishment

Two more F1 drivers are set to receive a significant grid penalty a day after McLaren’s Lando Norris was handed a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding the permitted number of engine parts.

The 10th race of the 2026 campaign takes place at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, located within the picturesque Ardennes region of Belgium.

The circuit is currently the longest on the calendar, which promotes overtaking and was a major reason McLaren decided to take the penalty and fit Norris’ car with a new battery, the fourth of the season, one more than FIA regulations allow.

Norris comes into the weekend fifth in the drivers’ championship on 97 points, having secured two podiums.

Despite the setback, speaking on Thursday (July 16), the 2025 world champion explained how he’s “still confident” the team can have a good race.

But it’s not just Norris who will have some catching up to do come race day, as on Friday (July 17), it emerged that Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar is set to drop to the back of the grid after the team decided to take on several new power unit elements.

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The Milton Keynes outfit will exceed the allocation for the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), Turbocharger and Exhaust on Hadjar’s RB22, as per F1.com.

Regulations state: “A driver may use no more than four ICEs and Turbochargers, three MGU-Ks, Energy Stores and Control Electronics, as well as four Exhaust sets.”

This will drop to three ICEs and Turbochargers, two MGU-Ks, Energy Stores and Control Electronics, and three Exhaust sets from next season.

During the current season, if any of the allocated limits are breached, then a 10-place grid penalty is handed out. A second offence then results in a five-place grid drop.

If a driver receives penalties totalling more than 15 grid places, then they start from the rear of the field.

Reacting to the news, speaking to Canal +, Hadjar said: “The goal will be to focus on race pace.

“We know that it will be less focused on performance in qualifying. We will probably start in 22nd [position].

“But this is a circuit where it is possible to overtake. Many things can happen.

“We have a good pace, so I hope to have a lot of fun on Sunday.”

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll will also drop 10 places for exceeding the permitted number of power unit components after taking a fourth MGU-K of the season.