The FIA has confirmed a 30-place grid penalty for Red Bull star Max Verstappen ahead of Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix.

At this stage of the season, several drivers and teams are going beyond their allowance when it comes to power unit components, with Verstappen and several others doing so in Sao Paulo this weekend.

In Verstappen's case, the FIA has confirmed that he has taken a fifth new internal combustion engine (ICE), a fifth new turbocharger (TC) and a fifth new exhaust set (EXH).

As a result of this, the FIA have confirmed that the four-time world champion has been hit with a 30-place grid drop, with each component carrying a 10-place punishment.

With that in mind, Verstappen did not even risk going out for much qualifying action in the wet on Saturday, advancing through Q1 but qualifying P16 after failing to set a lap time in Q2.

With other penalties on the grid, the FIA has confirmed that Verstappen will line up P21 for lights out in Sao Paulo, one place above Sergio Perez and one place behind Lewis Hamilton, who are also serving penalties.

Why is Hamilton starting ahead of Verstappen at Brazil GP?

Like Verstappen, Perez's has a 30-place grid drop after taking a new ICE, TC and MGU-K, but Hamilton starts ahead of both of them despite taking a completely new power unit and a 75-place grid drop.

This is because Article B2.5.4(b)(iv) of the 2026 FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations states that "classified drivers who have accrued more than 15 cumulative grid position penalties will start behind any other classified driver. Their relative position will be determined in accordance with their qualifying session."

This means that once a driver's penalties exceed 15 places, they are automatically moved to the back of the grid, and if multiple drivers are in that situation, their starting order is then determined by how they qualify, not by how big their penalty is.

That is why on Sunday, Hamilton, who qualified P11, will start ahead of Verstappen and Perez, who qualified P16 and P21, despite his penalty being 45 places more severe.

Other F1 stars dealt penalties in Brazil

The penalties do not stop there. Charles Leclerc will line up P14 after taking a 10-place grid penalty for fitting a new ICE, while a change of the same component sees George Russell line up seventh, having qualified in P2.

Russell's penalty is less than that of others taking a new ICE in Sao Paulo as he already exceeded the limit of four ICEs for the season at the Singapore Grand Prix, where he was hit with the same 10-place grid drop others are facing this weekend.