Norris receives 10-place grid penalty for Belgian GP

Reigning Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris will start the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend with a 10-place grid penalty after McLaren fitted his car with a fourth power electronics unit, exceeding the season's permitted limit. The penalty, confirmed by the team on Thursday, July 16, 2026, compounds a difficult title defence for Norris, who currently sits fifth in the drivers' standings.

The mandatory penalty is triggered because drivers are only allowed to use three power electronics units, which control the car's battery, over the course of a season. McLaren explained that Norris's patchy reliability record in 2026 left the team with no alternative. His first unit suffered a terminal failure at the Chinese Grand Prix in March, preventing him from starting the race. A second unit, fitted for the Japanese Grand Prix, encountered problems in practice and was withdrawn for repairs. That repaired unit then suffered another terminal failure during practice for the Monaco Grand Prix in June.

While the third unit, installed in Japan and used reliably since the Miami Grand Prix, has been functioning, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains has since introduced a series of...