Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff says the team could potentially take a grid penalty at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.
Both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas have used up their penalty-free allocation of power unit components for the season.
Any implementation of a brand new element will see the driver take a grid penalty for the start of Sunday’s grand prix.
Mercedes’ championship rivals Red Bull are also in penalty trouble, with the drivers’ standings leader Max Verstappen set to take a grid drop before the end of the 2021 campaign.
Last time out at the Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez took on a new power unit after qualifying, forcing him to start from the pit lane.
With Monza being a high-speed track with long straights, the circuit is one of the best venues on the calendar to take a penalty due to the number of overtaking opportunities.
Speaking to Sky F1 after Friday morning’s practice session, Wolff confirmed that Mercedes is mulling over a potential grid drop at the Italian circuit.
“I think we are all struggling on power units,” Wolff said. “Maybe not only reliability but also how these power units work hard and how they’re degrading.
“There are thoughts, definitely, for this weekend but we haven’t come to a conclusion yet.”
Mercedes ended Friday’s one and only practice session on top of the timesheets, with Hamilton besting Verstappen by almost half a second.
“I am quite pleased [with the pace],” Wolff said.
“As it seems we only saw one lap really turned up with the engine and that was Perez pretty early on in the session so I think they probably have three, three and a half tenths in the pocket with the power unit but then we have a tyre difference.
“I am actually pretty pleased but you know how it goes, you’re all jolly and then three hours later you get one on the nose.”
