McLaren races to fix fuel issue after Piastri's test day cut short

Oscar Piastri confirmed McLaren is scrambling to fix a fuel system problem that halted his running on the penultimate day of pre-season testing, putting pressure on the team to ensure he can participate in Friday's final session.

Why it matters:

Pre-season testing is a critical and extremely limited opportunity for teams and drivers to gather data and build confidence with their new cars. Losing a significant portion of a single day, especially for a driver entering just his second F1 season, represents a major setback in preparation for the opening race. With only one day remaining in Barcelona, McLaren's ability to diagnose and repair the issue overnight is crucial to maximizing their final chance to run the MCL60 before the season begins.

The details:

• Piastri's running was cut short during the afternoon session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya due to a fuel system issue, limiting him to just 48 laps completed in the morning.
• The Australian driver stated the team is "working hard" to implement a fix so he can return to the track for the final day of testing.
• Despite the limited mileage, Piastri noted that the team has already identified several areas for improvement on the new car, which features significantly different handling characteristics compared to recent years.

What's next:

All focus at McLaren turns to the garage for an overnight repair. Successfully resolving the fuel system issue will allow Piastri and the team to capitalize on Friday's running to further understand the car, test new directions for improvement, and build crucial driver confidence ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. If the fix is delayed or unsuccessful, it would compound the lost track time and put the team at a further disadvantage as the clock ticks down to the first race.