Rumor: Hamilton may take engine grid penalty at Monza

The new power unit Mercedes installed in Lewis Hamilton’s car for the Belgian GP (his third and final one for the year) may be damaged from his first lap collision with Fernando Alonso and have to be replaced.

The Mercedes Power Unit group is currently examining the engine.

If Hamilton is required to take a grid penalty at Zandvoort, Hamilton will have a hard time passing cars compared to Monza, which has long straights, a week later.

Assuming Hamilton’s two Mercedes Power Units still in circulation are not mileaged out, we assume that the Mercedes Team will decide to use power units already used for Zandvoort this coming weekend, and save the new power unit for Monza.

A Mercedes spokesman confirmed to Motorsport.com that the power unit has been returned to Brixworth for examination and thus a verdict on whether it can be used again, noting that the health of the V6 was “definitely a concern.”