MAX VERSTAPPEN FACES GRID PENALTY; FERRARI SEEK CLARIFICATION OVER TPC RULES

Max Verstappen has dominated the day’s headlines as we continue to build up to Red Bull’s home race this weekend at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Here’s a quick round-up of all the leading lines for you to devour in bitesize chunks. Tuck in.

Max Verstappen facing ‘inevitable’ grid penalty after Honda investigation

And the good news for Max Verstappen’s nearest rivals is the Dutchman is now facing the prospect of an “inevitable” grid penalty after Honda conducted an investigation into the power unit that hampered his early running at the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.

You may recall Verstappen had to cut short his practice time due to a suspected ERS issue and there are well-placed fears that the power unit cannot salvaged and added back to his engine pool.

All 20 drivers have four penalty-free internal combustion engines, turbochargers, MGU-H and MGU-Ks at their disposal over the course of the season – anything over that results in a grid drop.

And Verstappen had the fourth of each installed at the Spanish Grand Prix…

More info: Max Verstappen braced for ‘inevitable’ grid penalty after Honda engine inspection

Max Verstappen’s pre-Spanish Grand Prix test raises Ferrari eyebrows

It’s not often you see a big-name driver head off for a spot of testing in the build-up to a busy triple header of races, but that is exactly what Max Verstappen did at Imola before flying in for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Now, Max Verstappen and Red Bull were well within their rights to do that, making full use of a regulation that allows for the testing of previous cars (TPC).

The regulations allow teams to carry out private testing with a car at least two years old, running in a specification used at a Grand Prix during that season, to be tested, using tyres specifically designed by Pirelli for such outings.

But, despite its legality, it still caught Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur’s attention and wants the FIA to clarify the wording around the TPC regulations as Verstappen carried out “clear development” by jumping back into the RB18.

Full story: Max Verstappen’s private ‘clear development’ test catches Ferrari’s eye

Unpack the crucial data from the Spanish Grand Prix

🇪🇸 Spanish GP data: How Max Verstappen cooked against a quicker McLaren in Barcelona

🇪🇸 Uncovered: How Mercedes beat Ferrari at the Spanish Grand Prix with upgraded W15

Police issue statement on Lewis Hamilton sabotage email investigation

Over at Mercedes, it looks like the whole Lewis Hamilton ‘sabotage’ nonsense is over once and for all.

Before Lewis Hamilton made a mockery of the latest F1 conspiracy theory by beating team-mate George Russell on merit to the final spot on the Spanish Grand Prix podium, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said he got the police involved to try and determine who was responsible for impersonating a Silver Arrows team member and claiming the team were favouring Russell over the Ferrari-bound Hamilton.

The Northamptonshire police have conducted their investigation and found no evidence of a crime being committed.

That hasn’t stopped Wolff making his feelings very clear on so-called fans trying to derail the team.

Read more: Toto Wolff calls out ‘cowards’ behind ‘fake’ Instagram accounts in Lewis Hamilton sabotage plot

McLaren MCL38 declared fastest car on F1 grid

The biggest question we’re all left pondering since the Spanish Grand Prix is…who has the fastest F1 race car right now?

Well, we put our resident data guru Pablo Hidalgo to the test and challenged him to answer that very question.

After a deep dive into all of the analytics over the past year and boosted by a return to a perfect testing ground at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last week, we have answers.

Spoiler alert: Red Bull no longer have the fastest car!

Full pecking order revealed: Ranked: The current F1 pecking order from slowest F1 2024 race car to fastest

Read next: Red Bull told to break Sergio Perez contract and ‘go and get’ former driver back

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