Lewis Hamilton has taken another new power unit, taking his grid penalty up to 55 places in total for the Belgian Grand Prix.
The championship leader took a new internal combustion engine (ICE), turbocharger, MGU-H and MGU-K ahead of FP1 at Spa-Francorchamps, with the turbocharger and MGU-H being his sixth of the season, resulting in a 15-place grid penalty.
Each driver is limited to five of each power unit component - ICE, turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K, energy store and control electronics - per season. Every time a driver uses the sixth of any component, he receives a 10-place grid penalty, with each subsequent sixth power unit component used carrying a five-place penalty.
As a continuation of the same regulation, when a driver uses the seventh of any component he receives a 10-place grid penalty, with each subsequent seventh power unit component used carrying a five-place penalty.
Ahead of FP2, Hamilton took another new ICE, turbocharger, MGU-H and MGU-K, which resulted in another 15-place grid penalty but also brought his number of ICE and MGU-K up to the maximum permitted of five for the season. With the same four components changed ahead of FP3, all four carry penalties, resulting in an additional 25-place grid penalty.
Mercedes has taken the penalties all in one go as Hamilton will start from the back of the grid regardless, and the new parts expand his pool of available engines for the rest of the season. The penalties also coincide with Mercedes introducing a power unit upgrade this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.
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