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McLaren have reportedly decided to only give an upgrade to Oscar Piastri due to Lando Norris’ penalty situation.
Reigning world champions McLaren have endured a tough start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, having suffered several problems. Norris and Piastri failed to start the Chinese GP due to a suspected electrical problem, which Mercedes have admitted was partly their fault.
Meanwhile, a strategy blunder in Canada meant McLaren’s race was over before it even began. Norris and Piastri started on intermediate tyres, even though the track was dry enough for slicks.
With McLaren running Mercedes power units, there are concerns heading into this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix due to the Silver Arrows’ reliability issues, which have impacted both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
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McLaren will only run new Mercedes battery on Oscar Piastri’s car
According to a report from The Race, Mercedes have brought a battery upgrade to the Red Bull Ring after recent issues cost both their drivers valuable points.
The battery upgrade will also be available to Mercedes’ customer teams, which are McLaren, Williams and Alpine.
However, it has been suggested that McLaren will only run the upgrade on Piastri’s car due to Norris’ penalty situation.
Having suffered a battery failure in China, Norris experienced the same issue in Japan, meaning he is now using his third and final battery allowed for the season.
If McLaren decide to change another battery on Norris’ car, the reigning world champion will be handed a grid penalty.
Aside from Norris, Williams driver Alexander Albon is also believed to be in the same situation, with Carlos Sainz the only driver running the new upgrade.
Meanwhile, it is expected that both Alpine drivers, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, will be able to take advantage of Mercedes’ new battery specification.
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A lot has been made of the W17’s reliability issue ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, with reports claiming that Mercedes may turn down their engines in order to cope with the intense heat.
It has been noted that Austria’s high altitude and weather warnings could cause power units to overheat, increasing the likelihood of a potential retirement.
When asked about the battery issues, Antonelli said, via RacingNews365: “I don’t think it’s always been related to a temperature issue, but this weekend we have a new ERS pack with updates to improve the durability and reliability of the package.
“Hopefully, you know, the team has been working super hard because we’ve definitely been suffering from this kind of issue quite often.”
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