Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen set to be hit with grid penalties

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen stand to receive grid penalties before the end of the season due to the number of engine components they have used.

Verstappen is currently on his fifth Control Electronics (CE). If he needed a sixth later this year then he would receive a grid penalty. Verstappen himself has not used five of the components, when made the switch to Red Bull, his predecessor Daniil Kvyat had already used three CEs.

Hamilton is also likely to be handed grid penalties later this season, having already reached the limit with the use of both the motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H) and turbocharger.

A grid penalty could derail his bid for a third consecutive title, and fourth of his career, having closed the gap to championship leader Nico Rosberg to just one point after a tough start to the year.

Grid penalties are issued for the use of a sixth use of one of the six engine elements: The internal combustion engine (ICE), the motor generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K), the motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H), the energy store (ES), turbocharger (TC) and control electronics (CE).

A 10-place penalty will be handed out to anyone using a sixth component for the first time, with a five place penalty being issued for the second component being used for a sixth time.

For the seventh use of one of the above components, a 10-place penalty will again be issued.

Overview of engine components used in 2016 (After Silverstone)

ICE - Internal Combustion Engine
TC - Turbo Charger
MGU-H - Motor Generator Unit - Heat
MGU-K - Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic
ES - Energy Store
CE - Control Electronics