P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull had a planned power unit change on Max Verstappen’s RB20. The Dutchman endured a miserable Friday in Mexico City.
Red Bull changed the power unit on Max Verstappen’s car before the final practice session and qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix. Verstappen had a difficult day during practice due to an issue with the power unit, initially encountering a problem with the RB20 during FP1 and facing a lack of power. The team found an air leak in the system and attempted to fix it, but Verstappen reported a strange noise in the engine during FP2. Repairs were made during a delay caused by a crash, but the issue persisted, leading to the decision to change the power unit. Despite concerns about a potential grid penalty, Red Bull made the change as part of a planned decision independent of the Friday problems.
