Power unit concerns for McLaren’s Oscar Piastri during Baku FP1. Oscar Piastri’s McLaren reportedly experienced a power unit issue during FP1 at the Azerbaijan GP.

FP1 Baku: possible power unit issue for Oscar Piastri’s McLaren

The first free practice session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix brought some headaches for McLaren. Oscar Piastri was forced to stop at the pits after reporting an anomaly on his car. The Woking team mechanics immediately focused on the power unit, which could be the source of the issue.

According to Matteo Bobbi, speaking live on Sky Sport F1, the problem may be related to energy deployment or the functioning of the K motor (the kinetic energy recovery system), key components that ensure efficiency and top speed along Baku’s long straights.

The Australian driver remained in the garage, but the situation was paradoxically advantageous: at that moment, the session was already red-flagged due to other track-related issues. This coincidence limited the time lost on a challenging street circuit, where accumulating laps is crucial for building confidence in the car.

McLaren remains optimistic, aiming to quickly identify the root cause of the problem and get Piastri back on track without compromising the preparation for the rest of the weekend.