GP Las Vegas – Updated situation of used power unit components and penalties
With only three Grands Prix left on the calendar, managing the components of the power unit has become an aspect that is as technical as it is strategic. The regulations impose strict limits on the number of elements that can be replaced without receiving penalties, and with the championship entering its final stages, almost all drivers have already reached, or exceeded, those thresholds. In this context, planning component changes and understanding their impact on the starting grid is crucial for securing extremely valuable points.
According to the regulations (Article 28.2), during the 2025 season a driver cannot use more than 4 internal combustion engines (ICE), 4 turbochargers (TC), 4 MGU-H, 4 MGU-K, 2 battery packs (ES), 2 electronic control units (CE) and 8 exhaust systems (EX).
Updated table of components used by each driver in 2025
(after the Brazilian GP and FIA document dated 21/11)
Inspired by
| N. | Team | Driver | ICE | TC | MGU-H | MGU-K | ES | CE | EX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81 | McLaren Mercedes | Oscar Piastri | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 04 | McLaren Mercedes | Lando Norris | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 16 | Ferrari | Charles Leclerc | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 44 | Ferrari | Lewis Hamilton | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 01 | Red Bull Honda RBPT | Max Verstappen | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| 22 | Red Bull Honda RBPT | Yuki Tsunoda | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| 63 | Mercedes | George Russell | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 12 | Mercedes | Kimi Antonelli | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 18 | Aston Martin Mercedes | Lance Stroll | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 14 | Aston Martin Mercedes | Fernando Alonso | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 10 | Alpine Renault | Pierre Gasly | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| 07 | Alpine Renault | Franco Colapinto | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 31 | Haas Ferrari | Esteban Ocon | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 87 | Haas Ferrari | Olivier Bearman | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 06 | RBR Honda RBPT | Isack Hadjar | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| 30 | RBR Honda RBPT | Liam Lawson | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| 23 | Williams Mercedes | Alexander Albon | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 55 | Williams Mercedes | Carlos Sainz | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 27 | Kick Sauber Ferrari | Gabriel Bortoleto | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 05 | Kick Sauber Ferrari | Nico Hulkenberg | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Current situation
The current situation confirms that no driver has any margin left: any further intervention on the main power unit components will result in a grid penalty.
Given the characteristics of a circuit where the engine runs at 100% for a very long time, in Las Vegas the importance of a fresh power unit with a few extra horsepower is higher than anywhere else. It is not impossible that after qualifying, depending largely on the result, some teams may decide to take a grid penalty in order to install a new unit that can also be rotated for the final races of the season.
Here is the current situation:
Over the limits (at 5 for ICE/TC/MGU-H/MGU-K): Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Yuki Tsunoda, Fernando Alonso, Pierre Gasly, Kimi Antonelli, Franco Colapinto, Bearman, Hadjar and Liam Lawson. Any further change will lead to at least a 5-place grid penalty.
At the maximum limit (at 4): Alexander Albon, Isack Hadjar, Nico Hülkenberg, Gabriel Bortoleto, Esteban Ocon, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Lance Stroll, Carlos Sainz. For these drivers, the next replacement will mean a 10-place grid penalty.
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