McLaren’s 2026 Formula 1 season has unravelled almost as quickly as it began. A shocking double failure at the Chinese Grand Prix has raised serious technical questions and reignited concerns about favouritism towards Lando Norris, which could cause Oscar Piastri to walk away.
What should have been a season of consolidation following championship success is rapidly turning into a full-blown crisis.
China Collapse Raises Eyebrows
The low point came in China, where McLaren failed to get either car off the line — a scenario almost unheard of for a front-running team. Both Norris and Piastri were sidelined before the race started, with the team blaming separate issues related to the power unit.
On paper, the explanation seemed straightforward: an electrical fault linked to their Mercedes-Benz power unit supplier. However, the timing and nature of the failures immediately raised suspicion.
Former Haas boss Günther Steiner was among the first to question the narrative. Speaking on the ‘Red Flags’ podcast, he described McLaren’s explanation as ‘somewhat far-fetched’.
His reasoning was simple: the issues came out of nowhere.
McLaren had completed pre-season testing and the opening race in Australia without encountering any significant problems. Even in China, everything appeared normal throughout practice, qualifying and the sprint race.
Then, suddenly, both cars were unable to start the Grand Prix.
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“A Bit of a Fib?” Steiner’s theory
For Steiner, the sequence of events doesn’t quite add up. He suggested that the team might not be telling the whole truth, implying that the real cause might be closer to home.
He argued that mistakes are part of Formula 1, even for top teams. But admitting them publicly is another matter.
Rather than blaming a supplier, Steiner suspects that McLaren may have made an operational or procedural error and decided to shift the blame externally.
This is a serious allegation because, if true, it suggests that complacency is creeping into a team that has recently enjoyed championship success.
According to Steiner, McLaren may need a “wake-up call”.
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Piastri’s Nightmare Start
While the technical debate continues, the human impact, particularly on Piastri, is becoming impossible to ignore.
The Australian has had one of the worst starts to a season in recent memory. He crashed before the start of his home Grand Prix in Australia, losing control on the formation lap. Then, in China, he didn’t even make it to the start line, as his car was wheeled off the grid due to the same electrical issue cited by the team.
After two races, Piastri has yet to complete a single competitive lap in a full Grand Prix.
The statistics are stark. This is the first time in 57 years that a McLaren driver has failed to start the opening two races of a season, which is a damning reflection of both reliability and circumstance.
Coulthard Sounds the Alarm
Former McLaren driver David Coulthard has openly questioned what this means for Piastri’s future.
Speaking on the ‘Up to Speed’ podcast, Coulthard suggested that, if McLaren’s struggles continue, Piastri may start to reassess his long-term position, despite his contract running until 2028.
He made the blunt analogy that in Formula 1, drivers are like light bulbs — they shine brightly, but can be replaced just as quickly. Crucially, that relationship works both ways.
A driver can also choose to walk away, he implied.
Coulthard painted a bleak picture of McLaren’s current state, describing a team where ‘the wheels have truly come off’. The contrast has been stark, from title highs to operational chaos.
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Reliability concerns and finger-pointing
Adding to the tension is McLaren’s decision to blame Mercedes. Publicly attributing both failures to their engine supplier could strain a critical partnership, particularly when external figures such as Steiner cast doubt on this account.
From Piastri’s perspective, the situation looks even worse.
As he revealed after the race, he wasn’t aware of the issue until he had stepped out of the car. This lack of clarity only serves to reinforce the sense of confusion surrounding the team.
Even his reaction carried a hint of frustration. Attempting to remain light-hearted, he joked that at least he had made it to the grid this time — only for the situation to deteriorate moments later.
The Shadow of Favouritism
All of this is unfolding against a backdrop that has been building for months. Rumours of preferential treatment towards Norris first surfaced in late 2025, amid growing speculation that McLaren’s internal structure was becoming more biased towards the British driver. This narrative has not gone away, and the events of 2026 are only amplifying it.
Whether or not these claims are fully accurate, perception matters in Formula 1. Right now, the perception is that Norris remains the focal point of McLaren’s long-term plans, particularly as the reigning world champion.
For a driver of Piastri’s calibre, this is an uncomfortable position to be in.
A Defining Moment Ahead
The next race in Japan suddenly carries enormous weight, not just for McLaren’s season, but also for the stability of its driver line-up.
If reliability issues persist and Piastri continues to be on the receiving end of misfortune or internal politics, the pressure will only intensify.
Despite maintaining a composed public image, there are signs that the situation is beginning to wear thin. A title contender would hardly expect to be watching races from the sidelines while rivals — including Ferrari — show strong pace.
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Exit talk is no longer unthinkable
Just months ago, the idea of Piastri leaving McLaren would have seemed far-fetched. Now, however, it feels increasingly plausible.
A combination of poor reliability, questionable explanations and ongoing favouritism allegations has created a perfect storm.
For McLaren, the priority must be to stabilise the team, both technically and internally. If the current trajectory continues, they risk losing not just momentum, but also one of the most promising drivers on the grid.
In Formula 1, once that kind of door opens, it rarely closes again.
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NEXT ARTICLE – Formula One 2026: Entertainment or Sport?
Two race weekends down and the all new Formula One 2026 regulations have indeed had the biggest impact on the sport since its inception. As happened last time the engine rules were radically changed in 2014, it is Mercedes who have turned out on top. That said, Ferrari too have done a decent job as they sit second behind the silver arrows in the constructors’ championship.
For the rest of the field, the picture is not so rosy. If we tot up the points scored by the other nine constructors they total just four more than the Scuderia have accumulated across two races weekends.
Of course, it was expected there would be big winners and losers but presently the championships look to be a race between Ferrari and Mercedes, with the latter looking the stronger of the two.
FIA pause rule changes before Japan
The Sprint weekend in China happens to have settled some of the nerves up and down the paddock, as the expected emergency rule changes before Japan in less than two weeks time have been put on hold. Concerns remain that the disparity of performance between a car out of electrical power and one using its electrical boost systems are creating huge speed differentials which could result in a massive accident.
Then there’s the unwanted spectacle of drivers ‘going slow, to go fast’ in qualifying and the much criticised need to ‘lift and coast’ when in previous generations the cars would be flat out approaching a corner.
Unsurprisingly, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes on the whole the new regulations are working well, but given his drivers have won all three races to date, why would he say otherwise? “Qualifying flat-out would be nice. But when you look at the fans and the…CONTINUE READING THIS STORY
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
