F1: McLaren receives combined 105-place grid penalty

Published Aug. 21, 2015 12:39 p.m. ET

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SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) - The McLaren team has been given a combined 105-place grid penalty for changing engines ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.

The two McLaren cars, driven by Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, introduced an upgraded Honda engine at the start of practice Friday. This is McLaren's seventh engine of the Formula One season, two more than allowed for a new manufacturer.

By using other new components for the engines, McLaren incurred a massive penalty in grid places - a 30-slot drop for Alonso and 25 for Button. They will start from the back of the grid in Sunday's race.

UPDATE: Overnight, each McLaren driver was assessed an additional 25-place penalty.

The untaken grid drops are no longer carried over into upcoming races.

McLaren has been struggling this season and is next-to-last in the constructors' standings.

Earlier this week, team boss Eric Boullier reasoned that the team would be changing multiple parts on the car knowing that “we can only be punished once (here).”

Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen has also received a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday's race after an engine change.

Lotus' Romain Grosjean has received a 5-place grid penalty for a gearbox change.

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