AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) – Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will take a 10-place grid drop for Sunday’s U.S. Grand Prix due to engine and turbocharger changes, dealing a blow to his team’s hopes of denying Red Bull the Formula One constructors’ title for another week.
Ferrari need to score 19 points more than Red Bull at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas to keep the constructors’ title battle alive until next weekend’s race in Mexico City.
Leclerc is battling Red Bull’s Sergio Perez for second place overall and is one point behind the Mexican, who incurred a five-place grid drop on Friday.
The sport’s governing FIA said Leclerc had triggered the drop by taking a sixth internal combustion engine and turbocharger for final practice.
Renault-owned Alpine’s double world champion Fernando Alonso will have a five-place penalty.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Ken Ferris)
