McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has backed drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to recover from a disastrous start to their 2026 Formula 1 campaign following consecutive race weekends ruined by reliability issues and crashes.
The reigning two-time constructors’ champions have endured a miserable title defence across the opening rounds in Australia and China.
World champion Norris secured a fifth-placed finish in Melbourne, which remains the Woking-based outfit’s only race classification so far this year.
His Australian team-mate crashed out before his home race began, while both cars later suffered electrical failures that prevented them from starting the Chinese Grand Prix.
Early deficit in the standings
Those severe reliability setbacks leave the British squad trailing a distant third behind early championship leaders Mercedes and Ferrari.
In the drivers’ standings, the reigning champion sits sixth on 15 points, while the 24-year-old from Melbourne languishes in 12th after collecting just three sprint points.
Despite the lack of track time and race finishes, Stella insists the mood inside the garage remains resilient.
“It is a tough moment, that’s for sure.”
The Italian engineer admitted that failing to start a single Grand Prix has been particularly difficult for the younger driver to process.
However, the team boss praised the positive attitude both men displayed during post-race debriefs in Shanghai.
Relying on a winning mindset
The papaya team have developed a strong internal culture since their dramatic turnaround during the 2023 season.
Stella believes this winner’s mindset allows the team to focus strictly on elements within their direct control.
“In this case in China, there wasn’t much we could have controlled, so we just take any possible learning and we go again.”
He pointed to the difficulties they overcame during their double championship-winning campaign last year as proof of their inherent resilience.
“The victory was in Qatar and in Vegas, for the way we withstood the difficulties. That’s where you really become a champion.”
The defending champions will aim to resurrect their season at the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix in late March.
Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is reportedly causing internal friction at Aston Martin after severe engine vibrations forced his retirement at the Chinese Grand Prix.
The 2026 Formula 1 season has begun disastrously for the Silverstone-based outfit.
Aston Martin are battling significant performance deficits stemming from their new power units.
During Sunday’s race in Shanghai, intense engine vibrations caused the Spanish veteran to lose feeling in his hands and feet.
This extreme discomfort forced him to abandon the steering wheel on straights before eventually retiring after 32 laps.
Growing frustration behind the scenes
The former Ferrari driver has reportedly made his displeasure abundantly clear regarding the ongoing mechanical failures.
F1 Insider journalist Ralf Bach claims the veteran is openly expressing his frustrations behind closed doors.
Bach warns that these persistent complaints risk severely demotivating the engineering staff.
“Outwardly, he still comes across quite well, protecting the team a bit, but apparently he really lays it on thick when it comes to internal matters.”
Aston Martin engineers believe they possess one of the strongest chassis on the current grid.
However, they feel badly let down by engine troubles as they seek to propel themselves into race contention.
Honda’s troubled Formula 1 return
The return of Honda as an engine supplier has been plagued by design flaws and reliability issues.
Teammate Lance Stroll also retired in China due to a battery failure after just 10 laps.
Alonso has a complex and highly publicised history with the Japanese manufacturer.
During his second stint at McLaren in 2015, he infamously labelled their power unit a “GP2 engine” over the team radio.
Early championship struggles
The opening two rounds of the new campaign have painted a bleak picture for several established teams.
Mercedes dominated in China, with Kimi Antonelli claiming victory in a commanding one-two finish.
Meanwhile, McLaren suffered a double non-start in Shanghai to compound their own shocking decline.
Aston Martin must now rapidly solve their dangerous vibration issues to salvage their season.
“I had fun at the start again, and it seems this is a strong point of our car as we jumped up to P10. However, from about lap 20, I was struggling with the vibration levels.”
Aston Martin are actively searching for a new team principal to succeed Adrian Newey after a disastrous start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, with former Red Bull boss Christian Horner ruled out for the role.
The Silverstone-based squad have failed to score a single point in the opening rounds in Australia and China.
Drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll both suffered retirements at the recent Chinese Grand Prix, compounding early-season misery for the manufacturer.
Reliability woes and Honda engine struggles
Significant concerns regarding engine reliability emerged before the opening race in Melbourne when half of their allocated Honda battery packs failed during practice.
The legendary aerodynamicist has pointed to a lack of experience within the engine supplier’s workforce as a primary cause of their current track difficulties.
Newey noted that the Japanese manufacturer returned to the sport with a significantly reduced staff and are struggling to recover under current financial regulations.
“They re-entered with let’s say only, I’m guessing, 30 per cent of their original team and now in a budget cap era.”
“So they started very much on the back foot and unfortunately they’ve struggled to catch back up.”
Tension builds amid search for new leadership
Reports from Spain suggest that palpable tension and disappointment have engulfed the team following the double non-finish in Shanghai.
This perceived leadership void has prompted the British marque to seek a new figurehead to handle management and public relations responsibilities.
Despite the anticipated reshuffle, the 65-year-old engineering mastermind is expected to transition into a revised technical role rather than leave the team entirely.
Aston Martin will have another opportunity to secure their first championship points of the campaign when the paddock moves to Japan next week.
Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies has admitted their 2026 Formula 1 car possesses “significant shortcomings” following a disastrous Chinese Grand Prix for Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.
The Milton Keynes-based squad have endured a nightmare start to the sport’s new era of technical regulations.
Operating as an independent power unit manufacturer for the first time, they have accumulated just 12 points across the opening two race weekends in Australia and Shanghai.
That meagre tally represents the team’s lowest points return to start a campaign since 2015.
Reliability woes plague new engine era
Engine-related reliability issues have hampered both drivers in the early stages of the season.
Hadjar was forced out of the season-opener in Melbourne, while reigning world champion Verstappen suffered a coolant fault that ended his race in China.
“We knew that just getting onto the grid in Melbourne with our own PU was a major achievement in itself and it would have been naive not to expect we would encounter reliability issues.”
Mekies acknowledged that the problems extend far beyond just keeping the engine running.
“We had to retire Max because of a coolant fault. However, this was not our only issue as overall, performance-wise, our package showed some significant shortcomings.”
Despite the severe setbacks, the team principal remains optimistic that data gathered over recent weeks will make them more competitive at the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka.
Verstappen frustrated by handling struggles
Verstappen has not hidden his frustration regarding the drivability of the newly designed RB21 machinery.
The Dutch driver failed to score any points in either the Sprint or the main race at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Compromised by poor starts from eighth on the grid, he described the car as incredibly tough to drive and complained that every lap felt like a fight.
“A big problem for us is tyre degradation. We are graining a lot, probably more than the people around us. So that’s one thing we need to solve.”
The multi-time title winner highlighted that sweeping regulation changes have caused chaos up and down the pit lane.
“Then getting on top of our problems. But that’s not easy. You can see that all over the grid. Some cars are not even starting. It’s all very complicated.”
While acknowledging the immense effort from his garage, the lead driver conceded the current situation is deeply painful as they are not where they want to be.
Six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea will return to competitive racing with Honda in Portimao this March, just seven months after announcing his retirement.
The 39-year-old steps in to replace the injured Jake Dixon, who is currently recovering from wrist surgery.
He originally walked away from full-time racing at the conclusion of the 2025 season following a stint with Yamaha.
However, the motorsport legend rejoined Honda last November to serve as a test rider for their upcoming 2026 campaign.
A fitting circuit for a comeback
The scheduled Portuguese round holds special significance, as it was the exact venue where the veteran made his championship debut back in 2008.
He returns to the manufacturer that helped launch his career, having previously amassed 15 race victories and 42 podiums for Honda between 2007 and 2014.
Following that initial chapter, the iconic rider cemented his legacy by winning six successive world titles with Kawasaki from 2015 to 2020.
Record-breaking pedigree
The returning test rider brings unmatched experience to the grid, holding the all-time championship records for race starts, victories, and podium finishes.
His staggering career statistics include 470 starts, 119 race wins, and 264 podiums across nearly two decades of elite competition.
Dixon is fully expected to reclaim his factory seat once his rehabilitation is complete, making this a temporary but highly anticipated cameo.
Track action for the Portimao round of the championship is officially scheduled to take place between 28 and 29 March.
Lewis Hamilton has secured his first podium finish for Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix, declaring himself rejuvenated after a difficult debut season with the Italian team.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli converted pole position into his maiden Formula 1 victory, leading home team-mate George Russell in a dominant one-two finish.
The starting grid was notably missing the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who both failed to start following critical power unit failures.
Hamilton rediscovers his rhythm
The seven-time world champion looks in significantly better shape after two races this year than he did throughout a challenging 2025 campaign.
The 41-year-old was comprehensively outperformed by team-mate Charles Leclerc last season and openly struggled with his confidence on the track.
“I definitely feel like I’m back to my best, both mentally and physically,” the former Mercedes driver said.
“Training this winter has been the heaviest and the most intense that I’ve ever had, and that probably comes hand in hand with being older.”
Adapting to a new aerodynamic era
The British veteran famously struggled to adapt his driving style to the ground-effect cars introduced during recent Formula 1 seasons.
His natural approach relies heavily on late braking and utilising pitch changes for rotation, a technique poorly suited to the previous aerodynamic philosophy.
However, recent technical regulations have shifted car dynamics back towards a style reminiscent of the pre-2022 era.
Age and technical evolution
This crucial aerodynamic shift has allowed the legendary racer to drive his car in a much more familiar and comfortable manner.
Pundits had previously questioned if age was restricting his ability to form new neural pathways and adapt to unfamiliar grip levels.
“I do think there’s more to come as I can still eke out more performance from this car while I continue learning about it,” Hamilton concluded.
Motorsport’s governing body is weighing up alterations to Formula 1’s power unit development regulations to help struggling manufacturers upgrade their engines earlier than scheduled.
A significant performance gap has emerged across the grid following the introduction of the sweeping 2026 technical rules.
Mercedes have capitalised immediately, dominating the early stages of the campaign with consecutive one-two finishes.
Mercedes dominate as rivals falter
Kimi Antonelli secured a maiden pole position and race victory ahead of his teammate George Russell at the recent Chinese Grand Prix.
Ferrari followed closely behind in Shanghai, with Lewis Hamilton besting Charles Leclerc to secure third place after an intense on-track battle.
Conversely, several established outfits have endured disastrous starts to the new regulatory era.
Regulation issues plague top manufacturers
McLaren suffered a double non-start in China, while Max Verstappen was forced to retire his Red Bull due to severe cooling issues.
Aston Martin also recorded a second consecutive double failure to finish, highlighting the severe teething problems associated with the unfamiliar cars.
Officials anticipated these initial difficulties and created the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system.
Adjusting the upgrade schedule
This framework enables manufacturers who fall more than two percent behind the benchmark power unit to introduce improvements at set points throughout the year.
The recent cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds threatened to disrupt this crucial development window.
However, journalist Jon Noble reports that the FIA is now working to adjust the timeline to ensure struggling teams are not unfairly penalised.
From what we understand, the FIA are going to change the wording of the regulations so it will either become a set date or will be an earlier race to divide the season into four.
Jon Noble, The Race F1 Podcast
The initial upgrade window was scheduled for after the sixth round in Miami, a timeline the governing body hopes to maintain despite the revised calendar.
Max Verstappen has warned that the new 2026 Formula 1 regulations will ruin the sport following his frustrating retirement at the Chinese Grand Prix.
The four-time world champion suffered a coolant fault on lap 46 in Shanghai to compound a miserable start to the new racing era.
His premature exit occurred during a dramatic event that saw Kimi Antonelli secure his maiden victory.
George Russell delivered another strong result for Mercedes, while Lewis Hamilton claimed his first podium finish as a Ferrari driver.
Struggles under new regulations
The sweeping 2026 rule changes introduced lighter cars and an equal split between electrical energy and internal combustion power.
These drastic shifts have heavily favoured constructors like Mercedes and Ferrari while leaving Red Bull significantly off the pace.
The 28-year-old had already endured a difficult weekend in China before his retirement, managing only a ninth-place finish in the Sprint event.
He confirmed that Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali is holding talks with Red Bull regarding potential adjustments.
Call for widespread changes
The Dutchman believes a majority of the grid shares his concerns about the long-term viability of the current racing style.
“I think they understand where we are coming from as drivers, and I think I speak for most of the drivers.”
He acknowledged that teams currently enjoying a competitive advantage are naturally reluctant to support immediate alterations.
“But if you just speak to most of the drivers, it’s not what we like,” he added.
Protecting the sport’s future
Formula 1’s leadership faces a delicate balance between maintaining commercial popularity and addressing genuine sporting concerns.
The Red Bull talisman fears that ignoring these underlying issues will eventually damage the global appeal of the championship.
“I hope they don’t think like that, because it will eventually ruin the sport.”
He remains hopeful that ongoing communication between the drivers and the governing bodies will eventually yield a viable solution.