Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has admitted that he will “probably” be forced to serve a grid penalty “at some point” in the F1 2026 season if his engine from the Italian Grand Prix cannot be saved.
It comes after Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal, admitted that next weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku could be “quite suitable” for a grid drop.
Charles Leclerc facing potential grid penalty at Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Leclerc retired from Ferrari’s home race at Monza earlier this month after crashing heavily on the exit of the Parabolica corner on the second lap.
It came on a weekend Ferrari introduced its second power unit upgrade under the FIA’s ADUO (Additional Upgrade and Development Opportunities) scheme.
The engine was withdrawn from Leclerc’s allocation ahead of last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, where the Monegasque ran a previous-spec version.
A report by the Italian edition of Motorsport.com claimed earlier this week that Leclerc’s Monza engine was not terminally damaged in the accident at Parabolica.
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However, it was added that the engine could only be used in practice sessions, with Leclerc set to take a fresh engine – and an accompanying grid penalty – for next weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal, appeared to indicate that Leclerc could serve his penalty in Azerbaijan.
Vasseur was quoted by French television station Canal+ as saying at the Spanish Grand Prix: “We’ll see when we have to take an engine penalty with Charles, but I think Baku should be quite suitable.”
Speaking to PlanetF1.com and other media outlets, Leclerc admitted that a grid penalty is likely if his Monza engine cannot be rescued.
He said: “For now, from what I know, they are still checking it [the engine]. We’ll see.”
Asked if he will take a grid penalty at some stage, he replied: “I don’t know yet. We’ll see.
“If we manage to save it, then that’s great. If not, then probably a penalty at some point.”
Leclerc is widely regarded as a specialist in Baku, having claimed four consecutive pole positions at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix between 2021 and 2024.
Despite his success in qualifying in Baku, the 28-year-old has never won at the street circuit, recording a best result of second place in 2024.
Leclerc sits sixth in the drivers’ standings with a maximum of nine races remaining in F1 2026, trailing fifth-placed Lando Norris by 19 points.
Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton sits a further five points ahead in fourth.
Leclerc is not the only leading driver set to take an engine penalty across the remaining rounds of F1 2026, with Mercedes’ George Russell also facing a grid drop.
Russell recently told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets that Mercedes is delaying his penalty to ensure that it coincides with the team’s ADUO upgrade.
This would prevent Russell from having to serve an additional engine penalty later in the season, with each new engine upgrade counting as an extra addition to a driver’s pool.
Russell’s teammate Kimi Antonelli served an engine penalty at his home race in Italy earlier this month, winning from 19th on the grid.
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
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