Fernando Alonso to start from back after grid penalty at Belgian Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso received a grid penalty that forces him to start from the very last position at the Spa‑Francorchamps round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship. The penalty follows a change of three power‑unit components – a new energy‑store battery, control‑electronics unit and an ancillary component – which exceed the allowed allocation for the season.

The FIA also penalised three other drivers for similar breaches. Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll will drop ten places after installing a fourth MGU‑K, McLaren’s Lando Norris incurs a ten‑place drop for a fourth control‑electronics unit, and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar must start from the back after using a fifth internal combustion engine and related parts. All penalties are applied before the Belgian Grand Prix qualifying, reshaping the starting grid and highlighting teams’ strategic component swaps at Spa.

These sanctions underscore the strict component‑usage rules in the new 2026 regulations and set up a race where the penalised drivers will need to climb through the field to salvage points.