Ricciardo grid penalty caused by Mexico marshals

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed Daniel Ricciardo's Brazil Grand Prix penalty was caused by damage done to the Australian's car by marshals in Mexico. Ricciardo will drop five paces down the grid for Sunday's race after taking a new turbocharger at Interlagos.

Ricciardo suffered an eighth DNF of the season in Mexico City when a clutch issue caused a loss of power just nine laps from the end of a race which he was running in sixth.

It has since transpired that extinguishant fired into the Red Bull's exhaust by marshals ended up causing even more damage, which means Ricciardo will have to fight though the field on Sunday.

Horner holds no grudge with the Mexico marshals, however, and hopes Ricciardo can negate the damage on Sunday.

Expect a charging Honey Badger on Sunday! ???????? Daniel to receive #BrazilGP grid penalty after his #RB14 sustained damage to the turbo charger while being recovered in Mexico ???? https://t.co/hcPB1oz6fb #F1 pic.twitter.com/BLzzVHIura — Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) November 9, 2018

"You can't really blame them, the car was obviously smoking," Horner told Sky Sports. "They shot foam up the exhaust and as it solidifies in the turbo it's terminated it.

"So he'll take a five-place penalty. Hopefully on a track like this it's actually not that big a penalty."

Ricciardo finish sixth in Brazil last year, having started 14th on the grid due to an engine penalty.

MORE: Ricciardo set for Brazil GP grid drop
MORE: Ricciardo's Renault move 'will test his love of the sport'