Bottas hit with Austrian GP grid drop following engine change

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Valtteri Bottas will start Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix from the back of the grid following Alfa Romeo's decision to add new power unit elements to the Finn's pool of hardware.

Bottas, a two-time winner at the Red Bull Ring, has received a fresh ICE, turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K and control electronics.

This weekend's round of racing at Spielberg will include a sprint race on Saturday that Bottas will start wherever he qualifies on Friday. But regardless of where the Finn finishes tomorrow afternoon's sprint, he will line-up at the rear of the field on Sunday.

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Bottas will have his work cut out for him on race day, just a week after suffering a DNF at the British Grand Prix due to a gearbox failure on lap 20.

In Thursday's FIA press conference, Bottas admitted that Alfa still had work to do to improve its reliability track record.

"It’s a few things here and there and different things keep happening," he said. "So that means we've not been able to score points."

Bottas isn't the only driver to have received new power unit components, with McLaren's Lando Norris the recipient of a fresh engine, turbocharger, MGU-H and MGU-K, changes that are penalty-free for the Briton.

Also, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has taken his second energy store of the season while Alfa Romeo has also added a control electronics to Zhou Guanyu's inventory.

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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.