After 4 Grands Prix out of a 24-race calendar (plus the Dash), the reliability scenario is beginning to get attention-grabbing.
Yesterday, the FIA confirmed that, for the Saudi Arabian GP, all Crimson Bull Powertrains-powered drivers – particularly Crimson Bull and Racing Bulls – concurrently changed 4 energy unit elements: ICE (inner combustion engine), TC (turbocharger), MGU-H, and MGU-Ok. This mass substitute is totally authorized (because it entails the second of the 4 parts permitted for practically all elements), but it surely raises quite a lot of warning bells inside RBPT.
Not like different engine producers, Crimson Bull-associated groups are the one ones to have changed so many elements concurrently this early, at simply the fifth spherical of the season. It’s laborious to suppose it’s only a coincidence: the intense warmth in Jeddah and information gathered from sensors on the finish of the earlier race could have prompted engineers to keep away from dangers and make early replacements. Nonetheless, the frequency of those interventions means that some facet of thermal administration or mechanical reliability wants nearer consideration, particularly since any additional substitute of both the management electronics or batteries will lead to a 10-place grid penalty for all 4 RBPT drivers (George Russell can also be in the identical scenario together with his Mercedes).
As a consequence of a mixture of reliability issues, rain-related crashes in Australia, incidents in China, and points throughout follow classes in Japan, Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan, and Liam Lawson had already used the second of the 4 out there energy models. With at this time’s replacements, Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson are successfully approaching three, whereas Gasly now reaches two.
Amid a very difficult begin to the season, there may be excellent news from Ferrari, which, like McLaren, Aston Martin, Sauber, and Williams, has not skilled any reliability points.
With such a protracted championship, automobile reliability shall be an important issue within the struggle for the World Championships, particularly because the laws restrict what number of elements could be changed on a automobile earlier than grid penalties are utilized. Specifically, energy unit elements and people associated to the gearbox and transmission are intently monitored.
In accordance with the laws (Article 28.2), throughout the 2025 season, a driver could not use greater than 4 ICEs, 4 MGU-Hs, 4 MGU-Ks, and 4 turbochargers (TC), 2 batteries (ES), 2 management electronics (CE), and eight exhaust programs.
Up to date desk of elements utilized by every driver in 2025 (after the Bahrain GP and the FIA doc dated 18-04)
N. | Scuderia | Pilota | ICE | TC | MGU-H | MGU-Ok | ES | CE | EX |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
81 | McLaren | Oscar Piastri | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
04 | McLaren | Lando Norris | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
16 | Ferrari | Charles Leclerc | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
44 | Ferrari | Lewis Hamilton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
01 | Crimson Bull | Max Verstappen | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
22 | Crimson Bull | Yuki Tsunoda | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
63 | Mercedes | George Russell | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
12 | Mercedes | Kimi Antonelli | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
18 | Aston Martin | Lance Stroll | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
14 | Aston Martin | Fernando Alonso | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
10 | Alpine | Pierre Gasly | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
07 | Alpine | Jack Doohan | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
31 | Haas | Esteban Ocon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
87 | Haas | Olivier Bearman | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
06 | RBR | Isack Hadjar | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
30 | RBR | Liam Lawson | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
23 | Williams | Alexander Albon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
55 | Williams | Carlos Sainz | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
27 | Sauber | Gabriel Bortoleto | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
05 | Sauber | Nico Hulkenberg | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |