United States GP punishment confirmed as driver hit with 60-PLACE grid penalty

Red Bull VCARB driver Liam Lawson will start from the back of the field at the United States GP after the FIA confirmed a 60-place grid penalty for taking a new engine.

VCARB announced last month that Lawson will contest the final six races of the F1 2024 season after Daniel Ricciardo was dropped by the team in the aftermath of the Singapore Grand Prix.

FIA confirm United States GP grid penalty for Liam Lawson

F1 rules state that power unit component elements belong to the car, not the driver, with Lawson inheriting Ricciardo’s pool of components from the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, this weekend.

Lawson will take a fifth internal combustion engine, turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K, breaching the limit of four for the F1 2024 campaign.

The New Zealander has always moved to a third energy store and control electronics, exceeding the limit of two for the season for each part, as well as a fifth exhaust system, of which eight are allowed.

Will Liam Lawson secure a place on the F1 2025 grid?

👉 F1 2025 driver line-up: Who is already confirmed for the 2025 grid?

👉 F1 driver contracts: What is the contract status of every driver on the 2024 grid?

Lawson and VCARB had been braced for a penalty at the Circuit of The Americas, with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner describing it as a “soft landing” more than a year after his last F1 appearance for the team.

Appearing on the F1 Nation podcast earlier this week, Lawson denied that his grid penalty will take the pressure off as he contests his first race since last year’s Qatar Grand Prix.

He said: “It is [taking the pressure off], but, at the same time, it’s the same thing with how much pressure you put on yourself as a driver.

“Everyone thinks about and has different perspectives on things but, for me, I want to have the best possible opportunity at performing.

“You could look at it like, yes, there’s less pressure, because I know that I’m starting off the back of the grid.

“But, at the same time, I think, as a driver, you want to have the best opportunity possible and I know that that’s going to hinder me for the race.

“So it’s not all green flags, let’s say that.”

Lawson enjoyed a bright start to his return to F1 in the first free practice session in Texas, where he was classified 13th – three places and 0.130 seconds behind team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.

Read next: Explained: Why Red Bull’s adjustable bib isn’t being punished by the FIA