Renault and McLaren can both expect to take penalties at either the Belgian or Italian races as Renault’s Spec C engine comes into play.

After the summer break Formula 1 heads to two high-speed circuits, Spa-Francorchamps and Monza.

As such Renault have decided that this will be the perfect time to introduce their latest engine update, which comes with a “bit of extra power”.

However, it also comes with penalties for all four drivers.

“We will have penalties after the break, we know that,” Renault F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul told Autosport.

“Unfortunately that’s been the plan since Bahrain, since Melbourne even for Carlos, when he had that problem with the MGU-K that caused the whole engine to be lost because of the fire.

“We know that we are on the back foot and that we are going to have to swallow a few penalties. They will come in sync with a new spec of engine [and] that will be the final spec, the Spec C.

“I don’t want to confirm when and for whom that will come, but that will mean penalties and also a bit of extra power.”

It is likely that one driver from each team will take the hit at Spa with his team-mate doing so a week later at Monza.

Abiteboul added: “I don’t want to confirm it, because it’s not even confirmed with McLaren, and the engines are still being built as we speak.

“So first we need to make sure that those engines are built properly and signed off properly, but that could be a plan. It’s the normal thing to do.

“And if everything goes to plan, those will be the last penalties of the season.”

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