After missing qualifying at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Saturday due to an Energy Recovery System problem, Jenson Button will be forced to take a drive-through penalty during the race after his McLaren-Honda team changed part of his power unit overnight.
Honda had already decided to switch to Button’s fourth engine, but after the problems in qualifying, that started during the final free practice session on Saturday morning, the MGU-H and turbo charger have been changed, which are both the Briton’s fifth of the year.
Button was already set to start in the pit lane, and as a result of not being able to take the penalties that would have applied to him for the introduction of the fifth engine parts, he will be forced to take an early trip through the pit lane.
Button is the second driver to be handed a penalty for the race in Canada, with Max Verstappen set to take a ten-second penalty during his first pit stop after changing to his fifth Renault power unit this weekend.
