MONZA, Italy -- Fernando Alonso faces a 35-place grid penalty at the Italian Grand Prix after McLaren fitted the latest specification of Honda power unit to his car ahead of Friday practice.
Alonso will debut Honda's Spec 3.7 power unit during the opening practice session before switching back to Spec 3.5 for second session and -- if everything goes to plan -- the rest of the weekend. That way he will take a grid penalty for the new power unit at a track where McLaren are expected to struggle, giving him Honda's most up-to-date engine for the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix.