Will Lewis Hamilton Start at the Back of the Grid by Taking a Engine Penalty in Turkey?

The fight for the title between Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull prodigy Max Verstappen has never been this intense. However, with a few more races before the end of the season, things could even get more intense between the two arch-rivals.

A topic that has been gathering speculation ahead of the Turkish Grand Prix is, will Hamilton bring in a new power unit and get an engine penalty?

Is a penalty waiting for the Brit in Istanbul?

Hamilton currently leads the championship by just two points, while Verstappen is in second place, waiting to steal the top spot in the title race. Hence, as the Silver Arrows prepare for the race in Turkey, they are wondering if they should get a new power unit.

If they do go ahead and bring in a new engine, they are at risk of getting a penalty. This means Hamilton would start back of the grid, making the Turkish Grand Prix even more challenging.

On the other hand, if they don’t bring in a new power unit, there could be reliability issues. This means Mercedes could see a DNF in Turkey and might lose out on a points-scoring opportunity.

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What does Toto Wolff have to say about this dilemma?

It is no secret that the Team Principal of the Silver Arrows Toto Wolff has a tough decision to make. They are well aware of the risk both options have. Mercedes knows they are in a crucial spot in the championship and will need to plan carefully for the upcoming race.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 as quoted by The Race, Wolff said, “Most important is that you don’t DNF because of a reliability issue. You can cope if it swings whether you finish second or third. I think that is OK. The championship is gonna go long.”

“But if you don’t finish [it is worse]. So, we are looking at the parameters of the engines, making sure that we don’t suffer from any reliability problems. It’s a possibility. When and how it’s not yet decided,” the Austrian concluded.

With the Turkish Grand Prix just around the corner, we will just have to wait and see what will Mercedes decide for the upcoming weekend. What do you think the Silver Arrows will opt for? Let us know in the comments below.

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