Sainz and Albon hit with grid penalties in Austria

McLaren's Carlos Sainz and Toro Rosso's Alex Albon will have their work cut out for them on race day regardless of where they qualify, thanks to power unit changes and subsequent grid penalties.

After debating when to supply Sainz with Renault's latest B-spec engine, McLaren finally opted to make the change this weekend in Austria.

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Unfortunately, the Spaniard's power unit swap involves the renewal of all six elements, putting Sainz above the limit for each component and therefore maximizing his penalty tally and sending him to the back of Sunday's grid.

Over at Toro Rosso, Albon gets his hands on Honda's Spec-3 unit and its new ICE, MGU-K, MGU-H and turbo, but only the first two elements exceed the Thai's current limit.

The change will equate to a 15-spot grid drop which will likely put Albon right ahead of Sainz on the Austrian Grand Prix grid.

There was also an engine swap in the Mercedes camp on Friday, with Valtteri Bottas reverting to the manufacturer's old-spec unit following the discovery before FP1 of an oil leak on the Finn's French Grand Prix engine.

However, after undertaking authorized repairs, Bottas' W10 was fitted once again with its more recent race engine.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.