Lando Norris will take a 10-place grid penalty at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, with McLaren fitting a new battery and latest-specification Mercedes engine parts before the race at Spa.
The move is the fourth time this season Norris has had to deal with a power-unit-related issue, and it comes after a difficult run of problems that began in March at the Chinese Grand Prix. Norris failed to start that race after a terminal issue with his power electronics unit. At the following race in Japan, a second power electronics example had to be withdrawn after suffering problems in practice, and in Monaco the Japan unit was repaired but then suffered a terminal problem in practice.
Why McLaren chose Spa
McLaren has targeted Spa for the penalty because the circuit is relatively easy for overtaking and is also the last race before two significant upgrade packages are introduced. The aerodynamic package is due across the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix on either side of Formula 1's summer break, so the team is trying to limit the sporting damage now rather than later.
Norris, who is fifth in the drivers' championship and 82 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli, said he will have to wait and see how the overtaking unfolds. He noted that McLaren may have a small straight-line speed advantage compared with cars further back, which could give him a chance to recover ground.
He also pointed out that passing at Spa can still be difficult in general, even with the slipstream and the circuit's long straights. But he added that the track is a better place to take a penalty than Zandvoort or Hungary, and said he hopes the setback will not end his weekend before it starts.
What it means for the weekend
Since Miami, McLaren said it had used the Japan-installed power electronics unit in every session, which makes this latest change another step in managing the car's hardware through the season. For Norris, the immediate challenge is straightforward: take the penalty, limit the damage, and try to turn Spa's overtaking opportunities into a recovery drive.
In a season where reliability and timing matter as much as raw pace, McLaren's decision is a practical one. Spa gives Norris a better chance to fight back than many other circuits, even if it still leaves him with a difficult Sunday from the start.
