Sporting: Gasly on the verge of penalties after latest engine woes
Following his engine woes at the opening practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix, Alpine racer Pierre Gasly finds himself on the verge of engine penalties later on in the season. F1Technical’s Balázs Szabó reports on the power unit usage at the Canadian Grand Prix.
The current generation of F1 power units features seven different elements: the internal combustion engine (ICE), motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H), motor generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K), turbocharger, energy store (ES), control electronics (CE) and exhaust.
Over the course of the 2023 season, a driver may use no more than four ICEs, MGU-Hs, MGU-Ks and turbochargers, two energy stores and control electronics, and eight of each of the four elements that make up a set of exhaust systems.
After stopping on track in Free Practice One, Alpine installed a fresh internal combustion engine, turbocharger, motor-generator-heat, motor-generator-kinetic with all elements being Gasly’s last permitted unit for the remainder of the season. The situation puts Gasly on the verge of engine penalties even if he is permitted to use older parts and combine them freely.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, AlphaTauri racer Yuki Tsunoda and Williams driver Alexander Albon have also received a fresh ICE for the Montreal round with all of them started to use their third engine.
Furthermore, Tsunoda and Albon will compete in Montreal with a fresh turbocharger, motor generator unit – heat and motor-genetor – kincetic.
Gasly, Tsunoda and the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have also received a new exhaust system.
As for the gearboxes, drivers are also limited in the number of gearbox units for the 2023 F1 season. Restricted-number components are components that make up the gearbox, split between the gearbox case and cassette, and the gearbox driveline, gear change components and auxiliary components.
Drivers can use up to four gearbox cases and cassettes and four gearbox drivelines and auxiliary components. Drivers will earn a grid-drop penalty if they exceed the gearbox allocation. The first time the allocation of either of the components is exceeded, a five-place grid penalty will be dished out, with the same number applying for repeat offences.
Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg will race at today’s Canadian Grand Prix with a fresh gearbox case, cassette and a new gearbox driveline, gear change and auxiliary components. All three drivers have used two units from both gearbox elements up to the Montreal race weekend, meaning that they still have one fresh unit to use in the remainder of the 2023 F1 season.
