Ferrari replaces Lewis Hamilton’s power unit after Mexico GP FP2 failure, avoiding grid penalty

Ferrari was forced into an overnight power unit replacement for Lewis Hamilton following the technical failure that brought his second free practice session at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix to an early end. The Scuderia’s mechanics broke the overnight curfew at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to complete the work, with the seven-time Formula 1 world champion avoiding a grid penalty by returning to a power unit already included in his allocation.

The problem, which forced Lewis Hamilton to stop his Ferrari during FP2, was traced to the power unit area, making a complete replacement necessary. The Italian team’s technicians worked through the night between Friday and Saturday to ensure that the British driver could continue his Mexican Grand Prix weekend without further interruption.

Ferrari avoids Lewis Hamilton grid penalty with power unit decision

Ferrari opted to install a power unit that was already part of Lewis Hamilton’s existing pool of components, allowing the seven-time world champion to avoid a grid penalty for exceeding his permitted allocation. The decision was also influenced by the characteristics of the Mexican circuit and, in particular, the findings from Friday’s race simulations.

The long runs demonstrated just how difficult overtaking can be at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Despite the exceptionally long main straight, the circuit’s distinctive layout makes it challenging for drivers to follow another car closely enough to create a realistic overtaking opportunity.

Under these circumstances, starting from the back of the grid would have significantly reduced Lewis Hamilton’s chances of securing a strong result. Ferrari therefore prioritised preserving his starting position rather than introducing another power unit that could have resulted in a penalty.

The conclusions drawn from Friday’s race simulations also underline the importance of understanding sustained performance and traffic management, with further comparisons available through the F1 practice and long-run analysis statistics tool.

Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari power unit failure raises ADUO2 concerns

Another potentially significant detail concerns the specification of the power unit affected by the failure. Ferrari has not issued an official statement explaining the precise nature of the problem, but information circulating in the paddock suggests that the affected unit may have been the upgraded version developed under the ADUO2 concessions.

If confirmed, reverting to an earlier specification would mean that Lewis Hamilton would no longer benefit from the developments introduced with the latest update. However, the potential performance disadvantage is not considered particularly significant given the specific demands of the Mexican circuit.

Power unit performance at Mexico City’s high altitude is influenced by the unusual operating conditions, meaning the difference between the two specifications may not be large enough to justify sacrificing grid positions. The decision also comes during a weekend in which Ferrari has been managing the cooling and grip challenges posed by the Mexican Grand Prix.

Could Ferrari introduce another power unit for the Brazilian GP?

Attention now turns to Ferrari’s strategy for the next round of the championship, scheduled to take place in Brazil in a week’s time. Should the team decide that Lewis Hamilton needs an entirely new power unit, accepting the resulting grid penalty at Interlagos could represent a more favourable option than doing so in Mexico.

The Brazilian circuit is widely regarded as one of the venues where recovering positions through the field is more achievable, thanks to the overtaking opportunities provided by its layout. That makes it a potentially better location to absorb a penalty while limiting the consequences for the race result.

For now, Ferrari’s immediate priority is to keep Lewis Hamilton’s Mexican Grand Prix weekend on track following the technical setback that disrupted his Friday practice programme. By selecting a previously used power unit, the Scuderia has avoided an immediate grid penalty, although questions remain over the reported failure of the updated specification and the team’s engine strategy for Brazil.