Engine upgrades abound ahead of Spa

Aug.25 (GMM) Ferrari is not the only team taking engine upgrades to this weekend’s Belgian grand prix.

We reported earlier that while a new specification will be at the Spa-Francorchamps track, the Maranello team might not actually use it until Monza.

Nonetheless, the upgrade has cost Ferrari all of its remaining 3 upgrade tokens for 2016.

And now Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport also reports that two of the three other engine manufactures in F1 – Mercedes and Honda – are also taking new power units to Spa.

That ties in with reports Lewis Hamilton could take a double engine change grid penalty ahead of the race, taking advantage of the latest Mercedes specification after running through his allocation of five units for the season.

Sauber is also taking a shorter nose for its Ferrari-powered car to Spa, while Honda has redeemed some of its remaining performance tokens with the FIA ahead of the weekend in Belgium.

“For our level and the size of our team, we should be with Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull,” Honda chief Yusuke Hasegawa is quoted by Spain’s El Confidencial. “We cannot lose to Force India, Toro Rosso and this type of private team.”

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