McLaren's 2026 season derailed by persistent Mercedes power unit failures
McLaren has faced repeated setbacks with its Mercedes power units during the 2026 season. Battery failures in both cars forced Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to miss a recent race, raising concerns about reliability. Team principal Andrea Stella confirmed that Mercedes engineers have since fixed the issues. The problems began earlier in the season when electrical faults sidelined Norris and Piastri at the Chinese Grand Prix. At Suzuka, Norris managed just 13 laps in FP3 due to ongoing technical troubles. Piastri, meanwhile, was investigated by stewards after a collision with Nico Hülkenberg in the same session.
McLaren had shown strong progress in 2023, climbing quickly up the grid. However, this season's battery and power unit failures have disrupted their momentum. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff downplayed the issues, calling them 'teething problems' rather than a failure of collaboration between the two teams.
Wolff also suggested that Mercedes' current advantage over McLaren would shrink over time. The repeated setbacks have put pressure on both drivers, with Norris and Piastri losing valuable track time in key sessions. The battery-related withdrawals have cost McLaren crucial race opportunities. Mercedes engineers have addressed the faults, but the team must now recover lost ground. Both Norris and Piastri will aim to regain consistency in upcoming races.
