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Motorsport

McLaren outlines F1 engine fix after Lando Norris' Dutch GP exit

McLaren is bullish it can prevent a repeat of Lando Norris' reliability issues in last week's Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix, and explained what is happening with the Briton's power unit pool.

Norris' McLaren MCL39 started developing problems with seven laps to go at Zandvoort and the title protagonist soon ground to a halt with a smoking car. Norris' retirement was McLaren's first race-ending reliability issue in years, which set him back in the intra-McLaren title fight against Oscar Piastri.

The oil leak that crippled Norris' car was caused by an engine oil line failure on the team's side, with the engine sent back to supplier Mercedes HPP for further investigation.

McLaren's COO Piers Thynne says the squad is confident it has resolved the issue by manufacturing more robust parts.

"It was an unfortunate incident when we broke our long chain of positive reliability. The team have reacted extremely well and extremely pragmatically to look at the issue, find the root cause, understand it and manufacture parts that are extremely focused to ensure it doesn't happen again," Thynne explained.

Lando Norris, McLaren (Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images)

"I'm extremely pleased with the reaction of the team and certainly the factory, both design and manufacturing, reacted in a very positive and pragmatic way to the issue. The solution that is here this weekend to prevent it from happening again is the right one." 

Both Norris and Piastri have switched to fresher power units for the Monza weekend, where power output and straightline speeds are key.

But Thynne confirmed that Norris' Zandvoort engine can be reintroduced later on this season, alleviating concerns Norris' woes might be compounded by a grid penalty for exceeding the allowed number of power unit components.

Asked if the power unit can be added back to the pool this season, he replied: "Yes".

He added: "The issue that happened in Zandvoort hasn't affected our engine allocation for this event and we continue to look at engine allocation in a circuit specific, most performant way, that balances what we have to the end of the year."

Motorsport.com understands the impacted engine will require some minor repairs for fire damage, but could return to the pool as soon as the next round in Baku in two weeks.

Photos from Italian GP - Friday

Lando Norris, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Jacky Ickx

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Jackie Stewart

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Fans of Lando Norris, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Alexander Albon, Williams

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Jean Alesi

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari, Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Jacques Villeneuve

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Fans of Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Cockpit cooling in the Aston Martin F1 Team garage

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Helmut Marko, Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing Team Principal

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Flavio Briatore,  Alpine

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Alexander Dunne, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Alexander Albon, Williams

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Alexander Dunne, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Ferrari team mechanics at work

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Paul Aron, Alpine F1

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Alexander Dunne, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari runs wide

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Alexander Dunne, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Alexander Albon, Williams

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

Alexander Albon, Williams

Italian GP - Friday, in photos

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