Racing Bulls says Lindblad faces Malaysia grid penalty

Racing Bulls says Arvid Lindblad will start from the back of the grid at the Malaysia Grand Prix in Sepang after taking new power-unit components beyond his season allocation. The team announced the planned change on Thursday, October 1, and reports say the resulting penalty is expected to apply, though formal ratification by the FIA remains pending. The penalty follows Lindblad moving beyond the permitted allocation for power-unit parts. One report specifies that the 19-year-old will use a fifth internal combustion engine, turbocharger and exhaust, each beyond a limit of four without a penalty. That component-by-component account was not detailed across the other reports. The team’s announcement, as reported, is the basis for the expected back-of-grid start; no final FIA decision or official penalty document was included in the available information. The Malaysia race is being held at Sepang, the former venue for the Malaysian Grand Prix. Lindblad, a rookie with Racing Bulls, last raced in Azerbaijan, where he finished seventh. Reports say he collided with teammate Liam Lawson at Turn 1 during a restart, but the stewards took no further action against Lindblad.