When a driver takes grid penalties for exceeding their component quota they move back down the grid - 10 places for the first component and 5 places for each subsequent restricted part.
But if they take three or more parts then they automatically go to the rear of the grid and if two or more cars do the same thing, they are sent to the rear in the order that they finish qualifying.
If the upgrade occurs after quali, then they are placed in the order that they advise race control of what they are doing. So for that reason, there can be an advantage in making the decision early, particularly if there are rumours about other teams weighing up their options.
[caption id="attachment_6333" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Back of the Grid - grandprix247.com[/caption]