“There is no cost cap on the engines,” Toto Wolff on the importance of F1 Grid Penalties
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Mercedes' team boss Toto Wolff
Toto Wolff, the Mercedes Team Principal, has recently talked about the importance of grid penalties in F1 and why without them it would become extremely difficult to keep tabs on the number of engines each team uses during an F1 season.
Toto Wolff has stressed that in F1 the chassis come under the cost cap whereas the engines do not have a cost cap dangling over them and, thus believes it is important that the sport has grid penalties for the usage of additional engines.
While talking about the same Wolff has said, “There is now a cost cap on the chassis side. There is no such cap for the engines yet.” That’s why you currently need the grid penalties.”
“If there were no grid penalties, we would have qualifying engines – not five but 20,” he explains, adding: “Has it become too complicated? Absolutely.” And we have to think about that for the future.”
Wolff has blatantly stressed that without grid penalties, teams would be in the position of taking undue advantage, and is thus relieved that there is a concept called grid penalties in F1.
Moreover, believes that the current system of keeping tabs on the engines is too complicated and needs to improve during the future years of the sport.
Toto Wolff’s Mercedes team is starting from the back of the grid with Lewis Hamilton during the Italian GP
The Italian Grand Prix has been chosen by most teams as the venue to take the various penalties, and as per reports, it is believed that around nine drivers are taking grid penalties and Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton is also one of them.
The Brit has taken new parts on his W13 that have pushed him to the back of the grid for the upcoming race and is going to start from P19, just ahead of Yuki Tsunoda who has also got a grid penalty.
Moreover, among the major players, Max Verstappen has also got a grid penalty but the Dutchman’s punishment is not as severe as that of Hamilton. Max has only got a five place grid penalty for taking a new ICE unit on his RB18.
With so many drivers taking grid penalties, the starting line-up for the race is pretty jumbled up and it is going to be fascinating to see who among the penalty takers will be able to propel themselves the farthest on the grid.
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Rishabh Negi
(3244 Articles Published)