Red Bull expecting grid penalties for Leclerc

After further engine troubles for Charles Leclerc in Baku, Red Bull’s Helmut Marko believes grid penalties for the Ferrari driver are inevitable.

It is remarkable how the title picture has made a complete U-turn during the opening eight rounds of 2022.

Initially it was Ferrari in control, with Red Bull struggling to finish as a double DNF in Bahrain was followed by another for Max Verstappen in Australia, both coming when he was running P2.

All of that allowed Leclerc to create a comfortable gap at the top of the Drivers’ Championship.

But now it is Ferrari struggling to get the job done, the Spanish and Azerbaijan Grands Prix both bringing engine failures for Leclerc, sandwiching a Monaco Grand Prix in which Ferrari strategy blunders cost Leclerc the win.

The picture now is that after four wins in his last five races, Verstappen leads the Drivers’ Championship with a buffer of 21 points but not over Leclerc, instead his lead being over his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.

Leclerc has slipped to third in the standings, 34 points behind Verstappen.

Video: Ferrari woes continue with double DNF (PlanetF1)

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Now Leclerc is facing moving on to his third allowed power unit of the season, although having already used three turbos – another new one of those would trigger a 10-place grid penalty.

Considering Leclerc’s precarious position after only eight races of