Fresh engine penalty lingers for Verstappen after new Red Bull deal

Max Verstappen could be set for a grid penalty for power unit components at the United States Grand Prix, which will be officially confirmed after Friday practice at the Circuit of the Americas.

Verstappen has officially signed a new deal with Red Bull which will see him stay at the team until the end of the 2020 season but is set to celebrate his new contract with a potential “10 or 15-place penalty” either at the US GP or Mexican GP, according to team principal Christian Horner.

The Milton Keynes-based squad will assess Verstappen’s engine at the end of FP2 in Austin before making a final decision to take the engine penalties for this weekend’s race or the next one in Mexico.

“The likelihood is that Max will be celebrating that new agreement with a grid penalty,” Horner said on Channel 4. “It will either be here or in Mexico, we’ll make that decision after today. It’s likely to be a 10 or 15-place penalty unfortunately.”

Verstappen could join Stoffel Vandoorne, Brendon Hartley and Nico Hulkenberg who are all expected to pick up engine penalties for the US GP.