maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 13 NOVEMBER 2019
21
SPORTS
FORMULA 1
CHARLES Leclerc will start this
weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix with
a grid penalty after Ferrari confirmed
he would take a fresh power unit.
The 22-year-old Monegasque will
drop at least five grid places for the
penultimate race of this year's cal-
endar after suffering problems in the
last race in Austin in which he fin-
ished fourth.
The news comes as a blow to Leclerc,
who currently sits third in the driv-
ers' standings, 14 points ahead of Red
Bull's Max Verstappen and a further
five in front of Scuderia team-mate
Sebastian Vettel with two rounds to
go.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Bi-
notto said: "On Sunday, Charles' pace
in the first stint was poor, although
his car performance level was back to
normal after the first pit stop.
"So we will put all this behind us
now and look ahead to Brazil and a
fresh start.
"Charles will get a new power unit
there, as his was damaged on Satur-
day in Austin, which meant he had to
use a previously used and less power-
ful version for the rest of the weekend.
"Fitting a new PU means taking
a grid penalty in Sao Paulo, but we
should be back to our normal perfor-
mance level and show some fighting
spirit to finish the season on a high
note."
Leclerc facing grid penalty at Brazilian Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari with Lewis Hamilton
