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United States GP: Verstappen set for grid penalty for Austin F1 race

Max Verstappen is set to take a grid penalty into Formula 1's United States Grand Prix weekend.

Verstappen is expected to take a new Renault V6 engine and at least one other new element on Saturday, which means he will earn a minimum grid drop of 15 places.

Red Bull hopes it will be his final power unit change before the end of the season.

The team is considering making the change for the Austin race because it is a track where Verstappen has a good chance of recovering well from a poor grid position.

"At least you can overtake so it's not such a problem," Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko told Autosport. "And it could be wet.

"I don't know exactly what will be changed and what won't be. Wait until Saturday."

Verstappen has scored back-to-back podium finishes with second place in Japan following his victory in Malaysia, but he has also retired from seven of this season's 16 GPs and started down the order due to reliability problems and grid penalties at two others.

Toro Rosso's F1 debutant Brendon Hartley and McLaren's Stoffel Vandoorne already have confirmed grid penalties for this weekend, after making engine changes ahead of Friday practice.

Zdroj: autosport.com