Lewis Hamilton‘s Mercedes team has fitted his car with a fresh gearbox ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, but fans can breathe easy – he won’t face any penalties.
The seven-time world champion is still within his allowed limit of gearbox changes for the season. F1 rules let drivers use up to five new gearboxes throughout the year, and Hamilton hasn’t maxed out yet.
This comes at a crucial time for Hamilton, who’s getting ready for his second-to-last race in Qatar before the season finale.
The new setup includes both the main gearbox unit and all its internal working parts. It’s basically a complete refresh of his car’s transmission system.
Hamilton’s been showing some real fight lately. Just look at Las Vegas, where he charged from 10th place all the way up to grab second on the podium. His teammate George Russell had an even better day, starting from pole position and taking the win.
The timing of this gearbox change could be perfect. With just two races left in the season, Mercedes is clearly pulling out all the stops to give Hamilton the best possible shot at ending his year on a high note.
F1’s strict rules about car parts can get pretty complicated, but here’s what matters: teams need to be smart about when they make changes. Fresh parts can give drivers an edge, but use too many and you’ll end up with grid penalties that can ruin your race before it even starts.
