Renault has fitted a fresh power unit to Nico Hulkenberg’s car at the Italian Grand Prix, ostensibly to maximise a weekend that is already facing a setback.
Renault has typically struggled at the high-speed Monza circuit in the hybrid era, lagging behind rivals Mercedes and Ferrari.
Hulkenberg enters the Monza weekend with a 10-place grid penalty on account of instigating the multi-car pile-up at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix.
Renault has now fitted a fifth Internal Combustion Engine, sixth Turbocharger, fifth MGU-H, fourth MGU-K, fourth Energy Store and fourth Control Electronics of the season.
![Isack Hadjar [pictured] has deferred to Max Verstappen for Day 2 of the F1 pre-season test. Image: Red Bull Content Pool](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Isack-Hadjar-Red-Bull-test-2026-120x86.webp)
As a consequence Hulkenberg is now set to start from the back of the grid.
Fellow Renault-powered driver Daniel Ricciardo is also poised to start from the rear of the field having taken on the manufacturer’s new C-Spec engine.
![Isack Hadjar [pictured] has deferred to Max Verstappen for Day 2 of the F1 pre-season test. Image: Red Bull Content Pool](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Isack-Hadjar-Red-Bull-test-2026-350x250.webp)
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