Horner proposes solution to penalty fiasco

Ewan Gale
Saturday 10 September 2022 17:54

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has suggested F1 should increase the permitted number of engines for a season amid a penalty fiasco at Monza.

Nine drivers will take a grid drop for the Italian Grand Prix with only pole-sitter Charles Leclerc starting the race from where he finished Saturday's qualifying session.

Championship leader Max Verstappen will start the race from seventh after serving a five-place grid penalty for taking on a fifth engine, with team-mate Sergio Perez also dropping as part of the contingent.

Asked for a potential solution for the confusion, Horner told Sky Sports F1: "It is always going to be hard to find a solution.

"The only thing I would say for tomorrow is you have got a bit of a mixed-up grid and that could produce a really exciting race.

"If you take it [points] out of the constructors' [championship], if you have a decent lead you just keep taking engines so there is never going to be a perfect scenario to this.

"Maybe three engines feels a bit shy but we are taking fourth and fifth engines on a world tour anyway, why not use them?

"It is perhaps a little shy for what is demanded from them."

Red Bull expected "tight" qualifying

Verstappen looked like he could have spoiled the Tifosi party when demoting Carlos Sainz from the fastest time at the end of qualifying.

But Leclerc's final attempt was good enough to go 0.145secs faster than his rival, sending the crowd into jubilant celebration.

"We thought it was going to be tight," conceded Horner.

"We knew Ferrari, particularly in qualifying, were going to be strong and that has proved to be the case.

"We have perhaps compromised qualifying slightly to give the drivers a better race car so we will see if that trade pays off but I am reasonably satisfied with that."