Red Bull, Toro Rosso's Sochi grid penalties confirmed

Matthew Scott
Thursday 26 September 2019 11:48 - Updated: 12:47

All four Honda-powered drivers will serve grid penalties at the Russian Grand Prix as the Japanese manufacturer looks to maximise results at its home race for Red Bull and Toro Rosso in a fortnight's time.

The Japanese Grand Prix arrives after this week's trip to Russia, with Honda hoping to break a run of rotten luck in its home race.

Since returning to F1 in 2015, Honda-powered cars of McLaren and Toro Rosso have failed to score a single point, with three 11th-place finishes their best return across the four events.

However, it has been a different story this season, with Max Verstappen and Red Bull delivering Honda's first F1 podiums, pole position and race victories in many years, as well as Daniil Kvyat securing a memorable podium for Toro Rosso in Germany.

With the prospect of a big result on home turf – Red Bull chief Dr Helmut Marko has targeted victory at Suzuka – Honda will sacrifice the Russian race to some degree, by introducing four new engines.

Only Kvyat will have to start from the back of the grid, so Verstappen and Red Bull team-mate Alexander Albon will still likely seek as high a starting spot as possible, as they are only set to drop five places.

Looking at our PU usage for the rest of the season, in Sochi all 4 drivers will get a new Spec 4 ICE.

With a different replacement history, Kvyat is changing all elements except the battery. He will start from the back of the grid.

The other 3 will get 5 place grid penalties. pic.twitter.com/uUrjYloO9f

— Honda Racing F1 (@HondaRacingF1) September 26, 2019