McLaren investigate failures as Hamilton breaks Ferrari hoodoo

• Gabriel Bortoleto is out of the race
• Alex Albon did not start the race
• Lance Stroll retired after 11 laps
• Alsono retires on lap 34
• Verstappen retired on lap 46
• Piastri's F1 catastrophe: What went wrong for McLaren?

It was absolute carnage at the China Grand Prix.

Of the 22 cars expected on the grid in 2026, only 18 started.

Alex Albon and Gabreil Bortoleto did not start and neither did the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

As the race played out there were a further three retirements with the Aston Martins of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso forced to retire with both drivers reporting they were losing feeling in their hands and then Max Verstappen, withdrawing dur to a mechanical issue.

It was a brutal way to mark the 11th anniversary of the four-time champion’s F1 debut.

For McLaren, even though the season is only two races old, the top brass are already going on the record about how detrimental the double DNS is to their hopes of a third consecutive constructor's title and for their chances at retaining world title.

After the race, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said: "While at the moment Mercedes seem to be in their own category and we are a little closer to Ferrari, we obviously race with the ambition to compete for important results.

"We are just losing ground. These points could be important at the end of the season, so the most important shortcoming of what happened today is not scoring the points.

"At the same time, it's also quite regrettable and disappointing for our fans, for our partners from a commercial and a technical point of view, so there are obviously several downsides.

Despite the aforementioned carnage, there was plenty to celebrate in Shanghai.

Kimi Antonelli, who on Saturday became the youngest driver in history to claim pole position for race, secured his maiden F1 win while Lewis Hamilton finally claimed his first podium since he defected to Ferrari.

There was a scare for Antonelli with three laps to go after a huge lockout almost saw him lose control of his car and go off the track.

He kept his cool and at 19 years, six months and 18 days he did what so many had doubted he was capable of doing in only his second season in the sport.

Joining Antonelli and Hamilton on the podium was George Russell.

"We did it, we did it," he said on the radio as he crossed the line. "Thank you every one, thank you so much. You made me achieve one of my dreams. Thank you."

HOW THEY FINISHED

1. Antonelli
2. Russell
3. Hamilton
4. Leclerc
5. Bearman
6. Gasly
7. Lawson
8. Hadjar
9. Sainz
10. Colopinto
11. Hulkenberg
12. Lindblad
13. Bottas
14. Ocon
15. Perez

WHAT HAPPENED TO PIASTRI?

For the second consecutive race Oscar Piastri was out before the lights went out.

What a disaster.

Norris also did not make the start.

Screens were put up in front of the garages of both drivers.

"Unfortunately we identified separate issues on both cars which prevented them from starting the Chinese GP," McLaren said. "With Oscar's being removed from the grid shortly before the formation lap. We will now work to identify each issue."

PIASTRI HAS SPOKEN

Few words from the Aussie after his second DNS of the season.

"It (the issue with the car) was once I got out of the car," he said. "Not exactly sure what it is but I’m told it’s an electrical issue.

"It’s been a while since I’ve watched two F1 races from the sidelines. The Ferraris look good for now we will see how long that lasts for."

RETIREMENT FOR VERSTAPPEN!

Lap 46 and another car is gone. The four-time world champion is told his race is over, 11 years to the day since he made his debut in the sport. Mechanical issue for Red Bull and that is seven cars out.

Antonelli is holding on to the lead with his teammate behind him. It's all about minimising the mistakes from this point and managing the tyres.

LAP 40 SWAPS FOR FERRARI

Some proper wheel-to-wheel racing and position swapping from leclerc and Hamilton at the moment it's so good to watch.

Hmailton has just reclaimed 3rd after a cheeky switcharoo from his teammate. Terrific to watch."

"This is actually quite afun battle," Leclerc said on the radio.

A lot at stake here, Hamilton is going for his first podium in a Ferrari.

TOP 10

ANT, RUS, HAM, LEC, BEA, VER, GAS, LAW, HADLAR, SAI

PENALTY

Ocon has been handed a 10-second penalty for this collision with Colapinto

LAP 34 CONTACT!

Ocon and Colapinto collide...somehow neither car is out but incredible spint I'll find you a video of that. Ocoon was trying to go down the inside and that looks like Ocon is the driver at fault.

RETIREMENT: Alonso's race has come to an end and that's significantly more laps that Aston Martin would have expected.

LAP 29 OLD SCHOOL RACING

There is some truly insane racing going on in this race. It's going to utterly destroy their tyres but Hamilton, v Russell v Leclerc for second is rolling back the years and a certainty for the 2026 highlight reel.

They've destroyed their hopes of leading the race but that's by the by.

Antonelli is seven seconds clear and the ferraris have eventually had to yield to Russell. But that was sublime racing.

LAP 25 Norris has spoken

This is what the McLaren driver and reigning world champion said about his "did not start".

"We can’t race," he said. "Its frustrating. We tried to find a solution, but we weren’t able to. This is my first non-start in F1 and it’s tough to take.

"I’m not sure (when the team knew) but maybe an hour or so before I went out. I was preparing to go out and found out about it.

"They know it’s an issue they can’t fix for now and they need to know more."

MORE ON MCLAREN DOUBLE DNS

LAP 20 TOP 10

ANT, HAM, LEC, RUS, COL, BEA, OCO, GAS, VER, HUL

We are five cars down but the most intense racing right now is between Bearman, Colapinto, Verstappen and Gasly. Some vintage overtaking and battles going on. We love to see it.

LAP 16 FORZA FERRARI

"We've got no f-----g grip". Mercedes are struggling on the restart. Ferrari have the tyres warmer than the Mercedes duo. We know Russell and Antonelli will gain the positions back but right now this is all Ferrari.

Hamilton is up to second and Leclerc in fourth but there's a strong chance they both move up a spot in the next lap.

LAP 14 SAFETY CAR IS IN

Amazing racing between Russell and Hamilton right now for 4th. That's the experience of a 7 time world champion.

As we restart the race, Antonelli is leading, Colapinto second (who would have thought) Ocon third but being hunted by Hamilton.

Lap 11 Update

Apologies I've been focusing on Piastri. What can I tell you about this race? The leader continues to swap, Hamilton did not hold on for long. Antonelli is back in front.

We are currently under safety car regulations with Lance Stroll now out of the race. Debris being cleared.

Verstappen is not having a great day out. he took the chance to pit before the safety car meaning he's lost time and everyone else has had a cheap chance to gain places un the SC.

5:50pm: DRAMA FOR MCLAREN

There is early drama and the race has not even started. Lando Norris is still in the McLaren garage and the pitlane is closed!

He is set to start from pitlane and no sooner had that news broken was Oscar Piastri in the same boat and being pushed back into the garage.

Piastri, who won from pole in China last year, was due to start 5th on the grid with Norris next to him.

"It just could not get any worse the start to this season for Oscar Piastri," David Croft said on Sky F1.

There is a real chance neither McLaren starts this race and that would be two in a row for Oscar.

"We had identified an issue on the electronics side, which is why we had removed the floor and checked a number of parts," say McLaren.

"We believe we have rectified the issue and the team are now in final preparations for the race."

Alex Albon is also starting from pitlane.

RACE START

Insane start from Lewis Hamilton to this race, he was so fast and took the lead from Antonelli before the first corner.

Further back there is a significant amount of contact between Bearman and Hadjar but both cars are somehow still in the race but the latter told to box.

Oscar Piastri has conceded McLaren “belong” behind the front runners as the Aussie prepares to start from fifth in the China Grand Prix.

Having failed to make the start line for his home race in Melbourne as weekend, Piastri has at least managed to secure his first points of the season in Shanghai after claiming sixth in the sprint race on Saturday.

He will start the Grand Prix from fifth with teammate Lando Norris alongside him on the grid in 6th as they were meant to have been in Australia.

The McLarens have struggled to match the pace of both Ferrari and Mercedes with the latter securing a front-row lock out for Sunday’s race in Shanghai where Kimi Antonelli became the youngest ever driver to claim pole position.

Amid the frustrations of the new regulations, which have so far favoured Mercedes, Piastri admits McLaren’s current results are probably a fair representation of where the team is.

"The last lap I did was not the greatest, so I think there's potentially a bit more in (the car)," Piastri said after qualifying.

"Reasonably happy with it. I think that's about where we kind of belong. I felt like in Q3 we maybe got a little bit closer, but we've still got some work to do."

Chinese GP Grid

1. Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes (1:32.064)
2. George Russell - Mercedes (1:32.286)
3. Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari (1:32.415)
4. Charles Leclerc - Ferrari (1:32.428)
5. Oscar Piastri - McLaren (1:32.550)
6. Lando Norris - McLaren (1:32.608)
7. Pierre Gasly - Alpine (1:32.873)
8. Max Verstappen - Red Bull (1:33.002)
9. Isack Hadjar - Red Bull (1:33.121)
10. Oliver Bearman - Haas (1:33.292)
11. Nico Hulkenberg - Audi (1:33.354)
12. Franco Colapinto - Alpine (1:33.357)
13. Esteban Ocon - Haas (1:33.538)
14. Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls (1:33.765)
15. Arvid Lindblad - Racing Bulls (1:33.784)
16. Gabriel Bortoleto - Audi (1:33.965)
17. Carlos Sainz - Williams (1:34.317)
18. Alex Albon - Williams (1:34.772)
19. Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin (1:35.203)
20. Valtteri Bottas - Cadillac (1:35.436)
21. Lance Stroll - Aston Martin (1:35.995)
22. Sergio Perez - Cadillac (1:36.906)