Could Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri face F1 grid penalties? Max Verstappen has trump card

With three race weekends left, Lando Norris appears poised to claim his first Formula 1 world championship.

Yet one question still stands. Will grid penalties still play a decisive role in the final few races?

Formula 1 is gearing up for a dramatic season finale, featuring a gruelling triple-header in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.

Norris leads the standings with 390 points, just 24 ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri, while Max Verstappen lags behind by 49 from Norris. The young Brit certainly has the credentials to unseat Verstappen and capture his maiden title.

Still, as we approach the final stretch, reliability becomes crucial - especially since all three title contenders are pushing the limits on engine components.

In the pinnacle of motorsport, drivers are allowed only a fixed number of engine parts per season without incurring penalties. This year’s allocation is as follows.

Maximum allowed engine components per F1 driver in 2025

Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) – up to four without penalty

Turbo Charger (TC) – up to four without penalty

Motor Generator Unit Heat (MGU-H) – up to four without penalty

Motor Generator Unit Kinetic (MGU-K) – up to four without penalty

Energy Store (ES) – up to two without penalty

Control Electronics (CE) – up to two without penalty

Engine Exhaust System (EX) – up to eight without penalty

The very first time a component limit is exceeded, a 10-place grid penalty is imposed. Any subsequent breach for that same component results in a five-place drop. If several parts are replaced simultaneously, the penalties stack.

A component is marked as 'used' as soon as the car’s telemetry indicates it has left the pit lane.

Threat of grid penalties for Norris and Piastri?

For the championship contenders, these restrictions could be a game changer. Both Norris and Piastri have already maxed out their quotas on every component except the exhaust system.

Should a failure force a replacement during the final three races, a hefty grid penalty would be the immediate consequence. Norris is especially at risk after witnessing one of his reserve engines fail in Zandvoort. While reverting to older parts is allowed without a penalty, it often comes at the cost of performance.

Verstappen is also on alert

Verstappen, much like the McLaren duo, is watching his component usage with close attention. In fact, aside from the exhaust system, he has already exceeded the limit across all other categories.

Following a disappointing engine replacement in Brazil after a 16th-place qualifying performance, the Dutchman faced a pit lane start after Red Bull replaced his internal combustion engine (ICE), turbocharger (TC), motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H), motor generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K), energy store (ES), control electronics (CE) and exhaust system (EX) for the Brazilian GP.

It means that any other replacement of these now maxed out parts will yield just a five-place grid drop for Verstappen at future races, rather than the 10 that would befit Norris and Piastri.

However, with eight exhaust components now recorded, Verstappen also has a slimmer margin for error in that regard compared to his McLaren rivals, who remain at three.

Engine failures and forced component swaps might just tip the balance in this championship battle. However, as we enter the final year of these engine regulations, it’s worth noting that every team has demonstrated remarkable reliability throughout the season.

F1 top three driver standings

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