Hamilton, Leclerc and Verstappen to start from the back of the grid at São Paulo

Three of Formula 1’s biggest names will be forced to start further back than usual at the Brazilian Grand Prix in São Paulo after receiving grid penalties for recent power‑unit changes. According to Autosport, both Mercedes and Ferrari have each introduced a new internal‑combustion engine (ICE) for the weekend, while Red Bull has swapped out a hybrid component, triggering the standard 10‑place penalties prescribed by the sport’s technical regulations.

Lewis Hamilton, who qualified on pole in the previous race in Qatar, will now line up ten places behind his original position, effectively moving him to the midfield. Charles Leclerc, who had secured a front‑row start, faces an identical ten‑place drop, pushing him into the lower half of the grid. Max Verstappen, the reigning World Champion, will also serve a ten‑place penalty, meaning the Dutch driver will start from P12 despite qualifying in the top three.

The penalties arise from the 2026‑era engine‑change rules, which limit each driver to three internal‑combustion engines per season. Both Mercedes and Ferrari exceeded that quota after suffering reliability issues in the last two rounds, while Red Bull’s hybrid‑system failure in Qatar forced a component swap. The FIA’s stewards confirmed the penalties on Thursday, and the start‑grid order will be published after the final qualifying session on Saturday.

For Indian fans, the race will be broadcast live on FanCode with commentary in English and Hindi. The Brazilian Grand Prix kicks off at 2:30 pm IST on Sunday, 10 November, and the qualifying session will be shown at 11:00 am IST on Saturday. The grid penalties mean that the usual front‑row showdown between Hamilton, Leclerc and Verstappen will be replaced by a chaotic start, offering Indian viewers a chance to see how the midfield battles unfold when the top drivers are forced to fight their way up the order.

Source: Autosport