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McLaren suffers F1 Chinese GP disaster as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri hit trouble

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri failed to make the start of F1's Chinese GP after their McLarens were struck by pre-race technical issues.

McLaren was scrambling to get both Norris and Piastri at the start, as world champion Norris couldn't make it out of the pitlane in time for the pre-race procedure due to electronics problems.

Less than 10 minutes before the start of the formation lap, McLaren also had to wheel Piastri back to the garage with an undisclosed problem, and it failed to send either driver back out for a pitlane start.

It's the second consecutive pre-race drama for McLaren after Oscar Piastri crashed out of his home race in Melbourne on the reconnaissance laps to the grid.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren (Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images)

Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto also hit trouble after he had already made it onto the starting grid. The Brazilian's car was pushed back to the garage by his mechanics some 15 minutes before the start of the race and didn't make the start either.

At last week's Australian GP, Bortoleto's team-mate Nico Hulkenberg didn't make the start after being struck by a pre-race car problem.

Williams man Alex Albon made it four non-starters after his team uncovered a hydraulics issue on his FW48. Albon had opted for a pitlane start after taking the car out of parc ferme to fix his car balance issues, with Albon qualifying a lowly 18th. It meant only 18 cars lined up on the starting grid.

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli led the field from pole as F1's youngest-ever polesitter, followed by George Russell and the two Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, and then a gaping hole on the third row which was supposed to be occupied by the papaya McLarens.

Photos from Chinese GP - Sunday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Alexander Albon, Williams, Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Alexandra Leclerc and Carmen Montero Mundt walk in the paddock.

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing, Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Muni He walks in the paddock.

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Gene Haas, Founder and Chairman of Haas F1

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Alexander Albon, Williams

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Fans of Lewis Hamilton

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Alexander Albon, Williams

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Start action

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Franco Colapinto, Alpine crash

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Franco Colapinto, Alpine crash

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Toto Wolff, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Formula 1
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