Brazilian GP 2026: Hamilton to start at back

Lewis Hamilton will start the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix from the back of the grid after further engine-related penalties, with BBC also reporting wider drops.

Lewis Hamilton will start the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix from the back of the grid. Formula1.com reported the Ferrari driver was set for further grid penalties in Sao Paulo, while Autosport and Motorsport.com said Ferrari had fitted a fifth internal combustion engine of the season, triggering a 10-place drop before additional changes left him at the back.

BBC Sport also reported grid penalties for Max Verstappen and Hamilton’s Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in Brazil. Hamilton went into the weekend third in the 2026 drivers’ championship on 259 points, and the British driver is in his 20th Formula 1 season after racing for McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari since his debut in 2007.

Ferrari arrived with 250 Formula 1 wins and 16 constructors’ titles across 77 seasons, adding context to a setback that reshapes Hamilton’s starting position without changing his standing in the championship before the race.