Ferrari is considering a power unit strategy that could send Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to the back of the grid on separate weekends during the closing stages of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Between Baku and Austin, the Maranello team is evaluating whether to introduce an additional ADUO 2 power unit for both drivers, accepting a major grid penalty in exchange for having a fresh, updated unit available in the pool for the final part of the championship.
The possibility became more concrete after the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, where Ferrari’s management of its power unit allocation emerged as another important late-season issue. The Scuderia is already weighing when to take an engine penalty with Charles Leclerc, and the broader question now concerns how Ferrari could manage both drivers between Azerbaijan and the United States Grand Prix.
Asked whether the penalty could already be taken in Azerbaijan, Fred Vasseur did not rule out the option. “Baku? It could suit us quite well. But we have to assess everything; at some point in the season we would have to take it anyway.”
That is now the key issue. It is no longer simply a question of whether Ferrari will have to pay the price for introducing extra components, but when to do it and which of its two drivers should take the penalty first.
Why Ferrari is considering grid penalties for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have already reached the limit of the power unit components they can use without incurring penalties. Thanks to the additional unit permitted for the 2026 season, the regulations allow each driver four internal combustion engines, four turbochargers and four exhaust sets, together with three MGU-Ks, three Energy Stores and three control electronics units.
The first additional component of each type beyond that allocation carries a 10-place grid penalty, with penalties applied cumulatively. If Ferrari therefore decided to introduce an entirely new power unit, the combined sanctions would be enough to send the affected driver to the back of the starting grid.
The idea under consideration would be to alternate the penalties between Baku and Austin. That would allow both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to add another ADUO 2-specification power unit to their respective pools, either to use immediately or to keep available as a fresher reserve for the final races of the championship. Ferrari’s latest engine specification has already been an important technical theme, with the ADUO 2 and ADUO 1 specifications compared during the Madrid weekend.
Charles Leclerc’s Monza crash makes the decision more delicate
For Charles Leclerc, the issue became more complicated after Monza. His ADUO 2 power unit was involved in the violent accident at the Italian Grand Prix. The unit survived the impact and remains usable, but Ferrari chose to revert to an earlier specification in Madrid while further checks were completed.
The situation surrounding that engine therefore adds another layer to the decision. Ferrari does not simply have to consider the mileage accumulated by its existing units, but also how much flexibility it wants to retain for the remaining races. The condition of the Monza engine and the decision not to use it in Spain were already central to Ferrari’s management of Charles Leclerc’s ADUO 2 power unit after his crash.
Introducing another updated unit would provide extra security for the final phase of the season. The cost, however, would be a race in which recovering from the rear of the field becomes an essential part of the weekend.
Why Baku could be the right place for Ferrari to take the penalty
Baku is the first opportunity and also one of the most logical circuits at which to absorb such a penalty. The Baku City Circuit features an exceptionally long straight followed by the heavy braking zone for Turn 1, making recovering positions more realistic than at many other street circuits.
The characteristics of the 2026 Formula 1 cars add another factor. Overtake Mode provides its greatest benefit on the longest straights, increasing the opportunities available to a driver forced to begin the race from the rear of the field. That makes Azerbaijan considerably more attractive for a grid penalty than circuits where track position is much more difficult to recover.
Ferrari therefore has a clear reason to consider Baku rather than simply delaying the decision. The next round’s unusual timetable and full weekend details can be found in the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix schedule for Baku.
Why Austin is also part of Ferrari’s engine penalty window
Austin also has characteristics that explain why Ferrari is considering it within the same window. The Circuit of The Americas provides several places where drivers can attack. The wide uphill approach to Turn 1 has historically created overtaking opportunities, while the long straight leading into the braking zone for Turn 12 offers another chance to exploit the slipstream and superior straight-line speed.
Once again, the 2026 Overtake Mode could make starting further back less damaging than it would be at venues where grid position carries greater importance. This gives Ferrari another circuit at which accepting a major power unit penalty could be strategically manageable.
Between Baku and Austin come Sepang and Singapore. Sepang also provides overtaking opportunities, while the Singapore street circuit is considerably less suitable for deliberately sacrificing starting position. Ferrari therefore has several weekends to consider while attempting to identify the least expensive sporting moment for each penalty.
The sequence of remaining races can be followed in the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, with Ferrari’s decision potentially affecting more than one Grand Prix as it manages the mileage of its updated engines through the final phase of the campaign.
Ferrari must decide who takes the penalty first
The Baku-to-Austin window would allow Ferrari to alternate Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton rather than placing both cars at the back of the grid during the same weekend. It would also reduce the risk of reaching the later races with both existing ADUO 2 units already carrying substantial mileage and no fresher updated power unit available as a reserve.
That leaves Ferrari with a clear strategic crossroads. The Scuderia could sacrifice one driver, or potentially both, immediately in Baku, or spread the two penalties across the subsequent Grands Prix up to Austin. Each option involves balancing the immediate cost of starting from the rear against the longer-term benefit of adding a fresh ADUO 2 unit to the pool.
Fred Vasseur has already indicated that the penalty will have to be taken at some stage. Ferrari’s remaining task is to determine which driver goes first and which circuit offers the best opportunity to minimise the damage of starting from the back.
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