McLaren Leaves Baku Empty-Handed

McLaren endured a nightmare Azerbaijan Grand Prix as both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri failed to score points in Baku.

Piastri had looked capable of fighting for the podium after starting third and moving into second place at Turn 1, while Norris started fifth. But both drivers' races unravelled during a chaotic second half.

It was McLaren's third scoreless Grand Prix of 2026, following China and Canada.

Two cars inside the top five on the grid. Zero points at the finish.

Piastri Throws Away Podium Chance

Piastri initially produced one of his strongest performances of the season.

The Australian held off Max Verstappen for much of the opening stint before eventually dropping to third after the first Safety Car restart. He remained on course for a valuable podium until a costly lock-up at Turn 1 sent him down the escape road late in the race.

With the field tightly packed following the Safety Car, Piastri fell outside the points and ultimately finished 13th.

Piastri admitted afterwards that the lock-up had taken him by surprise, describing the result as disappointing after showing podium-level pace.

Norris Taken Out of the Race

Norris experienced an equally frustrating afternoon.

The reigning World Champion struggled with straight-line speed, with McLaren later confirming a power-unit deployment issue was costing him performance compared with Piastri.

Norris was still positioned to salvage points before becoming caught in the collision involving the two Alpine cars at Turn 1 following the second Safety Car restart.

The contact forced him into retirement and also damaged some of the upgraded components McLaren had introduced for Baku.

McLaren Must Respond at Sepang

Team principal Andrea Stella admitted McLaren's Baku package exposed weaknesses both through the corners and, crucially, on the straights.

That makes the next round especially important.

Formula 1 now heads to Malaysia and the Sepang International Circuit, giving McLaren little time to understand what went wrong before another demanding weekend.

For Winbox Racing, Baku was a weekend of missed opportunities for McLaren.

Piastri had a podium within reach. Norris was fighting for points.

Neither came away with anything.

Piastri P13. Norris DNF. Zero points for McLaren.

Baku delivered another brutal reminder that in Formula 1, one mistake can change everything.

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