15 March 2026GP BlogRace reportRumor

Norris's 'first non-start' caps McLaren's disastrous double DNS in China

McLaren suffered a brutal double DNS at the Chinese GP, with both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri unable to start due to separate electrical power unit issues. Norris called it his "first non-start in F1," in a major points setback for the team.

Lando Norris was forced to miss the start of the Chinese Grand Prix due to an electrical power unit issue, marking his first DNS in Formula 1 and capping a disastrous Sunday for McLaren as teammate Oscar Piastri also failed to start. The team confirmed both cars suffered separate but related electrical faults, leaving their garage empty on the grid and wiping out a promising weekend.

Why it matters:

A double DNS is a catastrophic outcome for any team, representing a total loss of points and development data. For McLaren, currently locked in a tight battle for third in the Constructors' Championship, this result is a significant setback. It also highlights the persistent reliability challenges that can undermine even the most competitive car packages in the modern, complex era of F1 power units.

The details:

Norris revealed he was informed of the problem just 20 minutes before he was due to leave the garage for the installation lap, stating the car "can't even start."
Team Principal Andrea Stella provided a technical breakdown: the issue on Norris's car was a communication failure with an electrical component during pre-grid preparations.
Piastri's car suffered a different, though related, fault. It reached the grid but then failed to fire up its engine for the formation lap.
Norris expressed frustration not just for himself but for the entire team, acknowledging the immense work from mechanics that was undone by a "complicated" new issue.

What's next:

McLaren's immediate focus will be a thorough forensic analysis of the power unit electrical systems to understand the root causes of both failures and prevent a recurrence.

The team must quickly regroup for the upcoming Miami Grand Prix, a Sprint weekend that offers limited practice time, putting further pressure on reliability.
This zero-point weekend increases the urgency for strong results in the next races to recoup lost ground in the championship fight against Ferrari and Aston Martin.