Hamilton hit with 10-place grid penalty for Turkish GP

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Lewis Hamilton will take a 10-place grid penalty in Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix following Mercedes' decision to add a new ICE to the Briton's pool of hardware.

Mercedes had been mulling an engine change in the run-up to this weekend's race in order to safeguard Hamilton's level of reliability in the final seven races of the season.

"We believe that between P1 and P2, with the fastest lap, that if you have one DNF it needs the other guy four races to catch up," recently said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

"And that's brutal. So you can afford to finish four times in second [place]. Therefore, you just need to really play it safe while not giving up performance."

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The Brackley squad was also compelled to make a call following Red Bull's decision in Russia to add a fourth power unit to Max Verstappen's engine inventory.

The tactical move proved successful as the Dutchman finished P2 in Sochi behind Hamilton after starting his race from the back row of the grid.

Mercedes has apparently opted to only introduce a new ICE for Hamilton, not a full unit, thus limiting the Briton's demotion at Istanbul Park to 10 spots on the grid.

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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.