Antonelli edges closer to engine penalties with rivals hit hard at Spa

Kimi Antonelli is edging closer to engine penalties after Mercedes fitted several new power unit parts at the Belgian Grand Prix, a development that could yet shape the Formula 1 title fight.

Mercedes fitted a new internal combustion engine to Antonelli’s W17 at the Belgian Grand Prix after discovering a potential issue in his Silverstone engine.

Kimi Antonelli moves closer to engine penalties after Mercedes engine change

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

The Italian took a fourth ICE and a fourth exhaust set, with the drivers limited to only four of each component before the penalties begin to rack up.

Should he move on to a fifth of either component, he would be handed a 10-place grid penalty – 20 places if both parts are changed.

He’s also closing in on his limit for other parts.

Mercedes also fitted Antonelli’s W17 with a second MGU-K, of which three are allowed, and a fifth power unit ancillary component. The PU-ANC allocation for the season is six.

But while Antonelli is clear to start Sunday’s 44-lap Belgian Grand Prix from P1 on the grid where he qualified, several of his rival drivers have penalties for changing engine components.

More on the Belgian GP qualifying from PlanetF1.com

Antonelli turns up the heat with brilliant Spa pole ahead of Verstappen

F1 starting grid: What is the grid order for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix?

Lando Norris has a 10-place penalty for taking a fourth power electronics unit, which drops him to 13th on the grid.

Lance Stroll took a fourth MGU-K, and will line up 20th, with Isack Hadjar and Fernando Alonso behind him.

Hadjar’s grid drop stood at 30 places in total after Red Bull fitted his RB22 with a fifth internal combustion engine, turbocharger, and exhaust, with each new component carrying a 10-place penalty.

The stewards verdict reading: “The use of each additional element in this case carries a 10 grid place penalty. Therefore there is an accumulation of 30 places.

“Article B2.5.4b.iv of the FIA F1 Regulations provides that a driver who has accrued more than 15 cumulative and unserved grid position penalties must start from the back of the grid.”

But as his penalties were announced before Fernando Alonso’s 20-place grid drop, Hadjar lines up ahead of the Aston Martin driver.

F1 starting grid: Belgian Grand Prix 2026

1 Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
2 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
3 George Russell, Mercedes
4 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
5 Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
6 Oscar Piastri, McLaren
7 Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
8 Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi
9 Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
10 Pierre Gasly, Alpine
11 Franco Colapinto, Alpine
12 Nico Hulkenberg, Audi
13 Lando Norris, McLaren
14 Carlos Sainz, Williams
15 Oliver Bearman, Haas
16 Alex Albon, Williams
17 Esteban Ocon, Haas
18 Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac
19 Sergio Perez, Cadillac
20 Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
21 Isack Hadjar, Red Bull
22 Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read Next: Winners and losers from the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying