Piastri opens up on power unit problem that wrecked his Chinese GP

The McLaren driver, who experienced a second consecutive DNS [Did Not Start], detailed to GPblog how disappointed he was with the problem he encountered.

“On the way to the grid, I think it was some electrical issues with the power unit, which I think was the same for Lando [Norris], but it's not the same electrical issue. So, yeah, that is obviously disappointing,” Piastri said.

Pressed further about how difficult the start to the campaign has been, particularly after missing both races, Piastri noted how tough it feels but admitted such challenges can be expected at the start of a new regulation. The Australian further expressed sympathy for teammate Lando Norris, who suffered another technical problem that prevented him from racing.

“It's been a while since I watched two Grand Prixs on TV. Yeah, this one is a bit different. Last week was pretty rough; it was just one car. These kinds of things happen in racing at times, especially at the beginning of a new regulation. It's probably not a huge surprise, so it's a shame that it's happened to both cars," he added.

The Chinese GP unfolded in a manner far different from what the McLaren team would have envisaged, with both drivers failing to start the race. Norris failed to leave the garage for the lap to the grid, while Piastri was wheeled back into the garage after his lap to the grid in Shanghai.

Piastri’s teammate Norris also expressed his disappointment with his DNS. The reigning world champion called it a shame, noting it was his first time experiencing such a scenario.

The British driver, however, noted that the McLaren team will work hard to figure out the cause of the power unit problem.

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