McLaren's Barcelona test halted by fuel system issue
McLaren's pre-season testing hit a snag in Barcelona as a fuel system issue prevented any running during the afternoon session. The stoppage came after Oscar Piastri had a strong morning, finishing second fastest, and costs the team vital track time with just one test day remaining.
McLaren lost crucial track time on the penultimate day of pre-season testing in Barcelona after a fuel system problem sidelined the car for the entire afternoon session. The issue emerged after Oscar Piastri had completed a productive morning, finishing second on the timesheets behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Why it matters:
With just one day of testing remaining before the season opener, every lap is critical for teams to validate their cars and build driver confidence. An unscheduled stoppage like this disrupts run plans, delays data collection, and can force teams to compress their final-day program, potentially leaving them underprepared for Bahrain.
The details:
- Oscar Piastri enjoyed a smooth and competitive morning for McLaren, setting the second-fastest time behind the Mercedes of rookie Kimi Antonelli.
- The team's afternoon schedule was completely scrapped due to an identified issue within the car's fuel system.
- The problem required investigation and repair in the garage, costing the team and Piastri valuable track time during a key phase of testing where teams typically conduct race simulations and performance runs.
What's next:
The focus for McLaren will be on diagnosing and resolving the fuel system fault overnight to ensure a full and productive final day of testing. The team will need to prioritize the most critical items from its run plan to gather final data before the cars are shipped to Bahrain for the first Grand Prix of the season.