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Grid Penalties for Hadjar and Stroll Complicate Belgian GP
The grid for the Belgian Grand Prix will be further shuffled this weekend following announced grid penalties for Isack Hadjar and Lance Stroll.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-07-17T12:24:01.000Z - 1 min read
For Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar, replacing his internal combustion engine, turbo, and exhaust means he will have to start from the back row, unless his team opts for a pit lane start with further adjustments. This intervention is thus the harshest penalty handed out at Spa so far.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll also faces a penalty; he receives a 10-place grid drop based on his qualifying position. The reason is the installation of a new MGU-K in his car, similar to the 10-place drop Lando Norris already incurred earlier for fitting a fourth battery this season.
However, the impact of this penalty may turn out relatively less severe for Stroll. His Aston Martin team expects a tough weekend at the Spa circuit, which is viewed as the hardest event of the year for the squad. Moreover, Stroll has enjoyed little qualifying success this season, with a best starting position of 18th in Miami.
With these new sanctions in place alongside Norris's, Hadjar faces the toughest task of fighting his way through the field. It promises to be a challenging start for both drivers on the fast but demanding circuit in the Ardennes.