The first day of action at the Australian GP saw Formula 1 cars hit the track in Melbourne. During Friday’s two practice sessions, several teams faced difficulties with their cars, and even the World Champion had to stop early. Lando Norris’ McLaren experienced its first reliability issues, forcing him to leave the cockpit prematurely during FP1.
FP2 went much smoother for both MCL40 cars, with the team completing promising long-run programs. Norris, in particular, showcased an excellent long run, slightly faster than the pace set by Mercedes.
Reliability stops Norris in Melbourne
The English driver had to contend with early reliability issues during FP1, complicating his preparation for the Australian GP. For drivers, getting accustomed to the new cars is essential, and losing time—even in practice—is never ideal.
The Woking team confirmed that the issue was related to the gearbox. Norris returned to the pits while the team attempted to fix the problem, but there wasn’t enough time to complete repairs before the end of the session. As a result, the number 1 driver had to exit the car 20 minutes before the checkered flag. A transmission control problem required gearbox repairs to avoid further disruption to FP2, the team explained.
“In FP1, we investigated Lando’s car, which confirmed a transmission control issue that we resolved before the next session. FP2 ran much smoother, with the drivers finding more consistency and collecting valuable data across multiple runs, including qualifying simulations,” added Technical Director Rob Marshall.
Norris’ impressions after FP2
Norris returned to the track for FP2, where his teammate set the fastest time. He managed to complete more laps and gather additional data about his car, though the lost time in FP1 was still a setback.
“It was a tough first day, but it’s nice to be back in the car at the start of a new season. This morning, we didn’t run as much as we wanted due to some reliability issues, so we’re a bit behind in terms of practice and learning. With these new regulations, time in the car is very important, so we have some work tonight to catch up,” Norris said at the end of the day.
“We collected some useful data from the second half of FP2, and there’s a lot we can learn from what our competitors did. We’ll work hard tonight to try and close the gap before returning for FP3 tomorrow.”
Lando Norris’s interrupted Friday shows that reliability remains the greatest variable in this new 2026 technical era. While the McLaren showed genuine pace in the hands of Oscar Piastri and recovered well during the afternoon long runs, the reigning champion enters Saturday on the back foot, needing a flawless FP3 to regain the rhythm lost to his early transmission gremlins.
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