PARIS: McLaren revealed on Thursday that they encountered a fuel-supply problem with their Mercedes engine during the penultimate day of pre-season private testing in Barcelona.
After world champion Lando Norris became the first to take the wheel of the new MCL40 on Wednesday, his Australian team-mate Oscar Piastri completed 48 laps of the circuit on Thursday morning.
“During the lunch break the team identified an issue on the fuel system that required extensive investigation,” McLaren said in a statement.
As a result, their second testing session was cut short.
“There’s a lot of challenges this year up and down the grid, so it was good to get stuck in,” said Piastri.
“These cars are completely different to what we’ve had the last few years. That’s part of what this test is about.”
Aston Martin unveiled their new car on Thursday, designed by British engineer Adrian Newey.
Lance Stroll was first to take it out on track, with Spain’s Fernando Alonso set to drive on Friday, according to the team.
With the upheaval in technical regulations set to take effect for the upcoming season, teams are focusing this week on the reliability of their cars rather than performance.
A clearer picture of each team’s competitive performance will only emerge during the two official test sessions in Bahrain in February, ahead of the season?opening Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 8.