McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri missed the start of the Chinese Grand Prix due to separate battery problems supplied by Mercedes HPP. Norris' unit suffered a software fault rendering it unusable, while Piastri encountered a hardware issue with a connecting component. The team has removed Norris' battery from use, potentially impacting his season allocations.
Two weeks ago at the Shanghai International Circuit, McLaren's reigning world champion drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both failed to start the Chinese Grand Prix after battery malfunctions in their Mercedes HPP power units. Norris could not reach the grid due to an electronics issue on the power unit side, prompting urgent repairs. Shortly after, Piastri experienced a similar problem while positioned on the grid, forcing his car to be wheeled back to the garage. Neither driver participated in the race, marking a double non-start for the team. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella described the incident as 'quite exceptional,' noting 'two terminal problems pretty much at the same time on the same component, which in this case is on the electrical side of the power unit.' Subsequent analysis by Mercedes HPP revealed the issues were distinct. Norris' battery was affected by a software problem that 'bricked' it, making it permanently damaged and removing it from his component pool. Piastri's battery had a hardware fault in an auxiliary connecting part, with hopes it can be salvaged after repairs. In 2026 regulations, drivers are permitted three batteries, or energy stores, per season— one more than usual—to aid adaptation to new rules. Speaking on Thursday in Suzuka ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Norris reflected on the setback. 'Of course, it hurt us as a team,' he said. 'It certainly didn't make us look good to have two cars not starting a race. I think what hurt more is the fact it was out of our control. But with HPP, we've worked hard to figure things out, to understand how it happened, why it happened. And of course, we'll do everything we can to make sure it doesn't happen again. But you live and you learn.' The failure leaves Norris with two remaining batteries, raising concerns about future reliability.
