Explained: Why Yuki Tsunoda was hit with huge 60-place Belgian GP grid penalty

VCARB’s Yuki Tsunoda.

VCARB has introduced a new power unit for Yuki Tsunoda at the Belgian Grand Prix, the raft of component changes triggered an eye-watering grid penalty.

One driver who was already expected to take a grid drop at Spa-Francorchamps was Max Verstappen at Red Bull, but when the FIA confirmed this, a far harsher penalty was also revealed for Tsunoda over at Red Bull junior team VCARB.

Various Yuki Tsunoda PU breaches create 60-place Spa grid drop

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

While Verstappen picked up a 10-place grid penalty for taking a new internal combustion engine beyond his season allowance – that first component beyond the limit equalling a 10-place demotion – Tsunoda triggered six of these breaches by taking a new power unit in Spa.

This new PU features a fresh ICE, turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K, energy store, control electronics and exhaust, with all parts bar the exhaust taking Tsunoda beyond his F1 2024 season limit, meaning a 60-place grid drop.

That therefore will see Tsunoda fall to the very back of the grid for this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

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While speaking to media including PlanetF1.com at Spa, VCARB sporting director Alan Permane confirmed that “Yuki’s taking a PU penalty here”, but was also quizzed on what the future may hold for Tsunoda’s team-mate Daniel Ricciardo on the PU front.

Ricciardo also sits on the brink of a major grid penalty, as like Tsunoda, he is at the limit for all PU components minus the exhaust.

Permane was not giving anything away in regards to whether VCARB will introduce a new PU for Ricciardo and where.

“We’ll wait and see what happens in the next couple of races,” he said.

VCARB head into the Belgian Grand Prix sitting P6 in the Constructors’ Championship standings, as they look to take momentum into the summer break with Aston Martin a position ahead not yet out of reach, the gap 36 points.

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