P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull has changed Sergio Perez’s chassis after a request from its under-pressure driver, while team-mate Max Verstappen will serve a grid penalty at the Brazilian Grand Prix
Red Bull has changed Sergio Perez’s chassis at his request, while Max Verstappen will serve a grid penalty at the Brazilian Grand Prix for using a new internal combustion engine. The penalty means a five-place grid drop, but the rest of Verstappen’s power unit can still be used to avoid a larger penalty. The penalty will only apply to the grand prix and not the sprint race, where Verstappen will start where he qualifies. Perez had requested a different chassis due to recent performance issues with braking, and Red Bull obliged by switching him to an earlier season’s chassis without incurring significant costs. Despite speculations about floor specification discrepancies affecting performance, Red Bull believes the differences between Perez and Verstappen’s setups are not significant. Paul Monaghan, Red Bull’s chief engineer, confirmed the changes and stated that Perez will be back on the same floor as Verstappen starting from the next race in Las Vegas.
