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Lewis Hamilton’s F1 title hopes have been dealt another major blow with the British driver forced to accept a five place grid penalty at this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix. Mercedes will change the combustion engine on his car in Interlagos, having noticed a drop in water pressure during the race in Mexico last Sunday.
Hamilton already trails Max Verstappen by 19 points in the title race, and now has it all to do if he’s to claw back any of that deficit this weekend.
He took a mandatory 10-place penalty at last month’s Turkish Grand Prix after Mercedes installed a fourth power unit of the campaign in his vehicle, but now the reigning Constuctors’ champions have hit more problems at a critical stage of the season.
F1 journalist Julianne Cerasoli was among the first to break the news via Twitter, posting “Hamilton will change the combustion engine in Interlagos. Mercedes thought they had solved the problem they had, but they noticed a drop in water pressure during the Mexico race.”
The seven-time world champion was already perceived to be at a disadvantage in Sao Paulo, a venue which traditionally favours Red Bull and where Verstappen triumphed when a Grand Prix was last held there in 2019.
JUST IN: Mercedes explain how Max Verstappen got lucky in Mexico as Lewis Hamilton battle heats up
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