Brendon Hartley collects fourth penalty in four races

Toro Rosso are sixth in the constructors’ championship, four points clear of Renault and a further two ahead of Haas. (Source: Reuters)

New Zealander Brendon Hartley will start his fourth race in Formula One with a fourth grid penalty after his Toro Rosso team replaced part of his car’s Renault power unit for Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The 28-year-old double world endurance champion and Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar winner made his F1 debut with a 25 place penalty at the U.S. Grand Prix in October.

Hartley was then handed a 20 place demotion in Mexico and another penalty in Brazil as the Red Bull-owned team wrestled with engine reliability.

Formula One technical delegate Jo Bauer said in a statement on Friday that Toro Rosso had replaced the motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H) in Hartley’s car, which recovers energy from the exhaust. That breach will incur a 10 place penalty.

Toro Rosso are sixth in the constructors’ championship, four points clear of Renault and a further two ahead of Haas.