Norris set for grid penalty after engine change

40

McLaren has opted to assign a fourth power unit to Lando Norris in Mexico City, a change that will send the Briton to the back of the grid on Sunday.

Norris is the second Mercedes driver to receive a new engine at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with Aston Martin's Lance Stroll also the recipient of a new engine, while Honda-powered Yuki Tsunoda has also undergone an engine change.

So far, McLaren has enjoyed a rather low-key performance in Mexico City, so hopefully the engine change will perhaps boost the team's prospects.

On Friday, Daniel Ricciardo completed just a handful of laps in FP2 before he was sidelined by a gearbox issue, while Norris struggled with balance and grip issues.

Read also: Mercedes feeling more 'robust' about PU reliability issues

The Briton was nevertheless hopeful of improving on Saturday.

"We can be confident we’re going to make some improvements into tomorrow and find a bit more lap time," said Norris at the end of Friday's running.

"It’s not easy, so we’ll work hard overnight and see what we can find."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

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.