Aston Martin will serve grid penalties on both cars at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll set to start Saturday's Baku race from the back of the grid regardless of qualifying results. The team added multiple new engine components beyond the annual allowance to both cars for the weekend's action.
Alonso's Penalty Details
Alonso's car has been fitted with a new internal combustion engine, his fifth of the year, while F1 rules specify only four are allowed per car each season. He has also taken his fifth turbocharger, with only four permitted, and moved onto his ninth power unit ancillary component, against an annual limit of six.
F1 rules state that the first offence for each component triggers a 10-place grid drop, while further new parts beyond that cause additional five-place penalties. Because it is Alonso's first offence on the ICE and turbocharger, and the third time he has exceeded his allowance on the ancillary front, his grid penalties total 25 places.
Stroll's Penalty Details
The rules also specify that any accumulated grid penalty of 15 places or more is converted into an automatic back-of-grid start. Stroll has racked up 20 places' worth of penalties for new engine parts, including his sixth turbocharger and seventh energy store unit – only three are allowed each year without extra penalty. He has also taken his sixth set of control electronics, the annual allowance being three, and an eighth power unit ancillary component.
None of those four new engine parts are first offences of the season, so each is worth five places. Like Alonso's punishment, Stroll's penalties will be converted into an automatic back-of-grid start. Unless any other drivers take multiple grid penalties and then qualify lower than the Aston Martins, the 11th and final row of the grid is certain to be made up of the two green cars.
