Brazilian GP 2026: Leclerc faces reported grid drop

Autosport and Motorsport.com reported Charles Leclerc is set for a Brazilian GP grid penalty after an engine change, with Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton also affected.

Autosport and Motorsport.com reported that Charles Leclerc is set to take a grid penalty for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix. Both outlets also said Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are due to be penalised, with the reported sanctions linked to engine changes.

According to those reports, Ferrari decided on planned power-unit changes for Hamilton and Leclerc’s SF-26 after Friday practice, which would bring a 10-place grid drop for each driver. The move had not been officially confirmed in the supplied source material, so the grid change remained a reported development rather than a confirmed decision.

Leclerc arrived at the weekend fifth in the 2026 drivers’ championship on 251 points. Across his Formula 1 career from 2018 to 2026, the Monegasque recorded 182 entries, nine wins, 24 pole positions and 53 podiums.