Lawson faces back row start at Monza after engine penalty

Liam Lawson will start from the back at Monza after Red Bull exceeded his engine allocation with a sixth ICE and other components. He qualified 14th, while Max Verstappen also struggled with a mechanical issue.

Why it matters:

The penalty complicates Lawson's second consecutive weekend with Red Bull, standing in for the injured Isack Hadjar. It also reshuffles the grid: Piastri's three-place penalty for impeding Lawson drops him from third to sixth, promoting Verstappen to fifth.

The details:

• Red Bull fitted a sixth ICE, turbocharger, exhaust, fourth MGU-K and seventh PU-ANC, exceeding the season limit.
• Lawson said the team focused on race setup, knowing the penalty was coming.
• He was baulked by Piastri on his final Q2 lap, but admitted they should have had speed to progress anyway.
• Verstappen reported a mechanical failure that made the car bounce "like a kangaroo," preventing consistency. He qualified sixth but gains a spot from Piastri's penalty.

What's next:

Lawson starts from the rear with Kimi Antonelli and Alex Albon. Verstappen needs a fix before the race, while Pierre Gasly's shock pole sets up an intriguing Sunday.