Max Verstappen likely to bag hefty grid penalty due to Red Bull's strategic engine tactics

Max Verstappen is likely to get a grid penalty for his error at the Canadian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver suffered car damage during his practice session, ahead of the event. It led to a premature power plan change from his team. In the upcoming days, it could lead to an increased chance of the power unit allocation. Red Bull's boss spoke about the penalty Max could sustain.

Christian Horner said that getting a new power unit for Max Verstappen is inevitable ahead of the upcoming season. He felt it was a matter of time before they got a change of engine and added that they just had to strategically choose when they had to execute the plan. Horner said that they had to talk with Honda to get the change of engine.

Christian felt that they had to take the penalty points somewhere in the future. "I’m sure at some point we’ll end up taking an extra engine for Max, it’s just a question of when you choose strategically to do that. So, we’ll work with Honda on that, but inevitably, we will take a penalty at some point," said Horner while speaking about Max's grid penalty.

Will Max Verstappen fall in the rankings?

Horner asserted that their strategy would be to choose the GP in which there would be more chances of overtaking than in other events. The latest news on the change of Max's engine has increased the buzz among fans and experts regarding the potential change in rankings. Red Bull still sits at the top but could be challenged by others.

The likes of McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari are not too far behind. In the upcoming races, the distance between them could get closer. Red Bull would be hoping for Verstappen to pull off a top 2 finish consistently if not a top finish in the upcoming Grand Prix. That promises great dynamics between the teams. Christian believed that Red Bull could maintain their top spot for the rest of the year.