Three drivers start from back after penalties at Belgian GP

Three drivers will start from the back of the grid for the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, July 19, 2026, following a series of engine-related penalties confirmed by the FIA. Fernando Alonso, Isack Hadjar, and Lance Stroll have all exceeded their permitted allocations of power unit components, triggering automatic back-of-grid starts under Formula 1 regulations. They will be joined by reigning world champion Lando Norris, who will serve a 10-place grid drop.

The penalties stem from teams introducing new components ahead of the race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Alonso’s Aston Martin took a new energy store, control electronics, and a power unit ancillary component, resulting in a 20-place penalty. Under a rule introduced in recent years, any penalty exceeding 15 places mandates a start from the back. His teammate, Stroll, received a 10-place penalty for installing a fourth Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGUK) this season.

Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar incurred the weekend's most significant sanction after his car was fitted with a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger, and exhaust system. These changes, exceeding the seasonal allocation on multiple components,...