McLaren confirmed that separate technical problems on both cars prevented drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from starting the Chinese Grand Prix , bringing an early end to their race weekend.
In an official statement, the team said it had identified independent issues affecting both cars, which ultimately made it impossible for either driver to take part in the race.
"Unfortunately we identified separate issues on both cars which prevented them from starting the Chinese GP, with Oscar's being removed from the grid shortly before the formation lap. We will now work to identify each issue," McLaren said.
Piastri removed from the grid
Piastri's car was taken off the starting grid shortly before the formation lap, after the team discovered a problem that could not be resolved in time. Mechanics wheeled the car back into the garage while the rest of the field prepared for the race start.
Norris had earlier qualified sixth, but his car also encountered technical problems during the pre-race procedure. McLaren engineers attempted to diagnose the issue in the garage, including removing components from the car as the race start approached.
Second consecutive setback for McLaren
The double non-start adds to a difficult start to the season for McLaren, following Piastri's crash during the reconnaissance lap at the Australian Grand Prix the previous week.
With both cars failing to take the start in China, the team said it will conduct a full investigation into the separate failures to determine the exact cause and prevent similar incidents in upcoming races.