Lando Norris Suffers Monaco Blow After McLaren FP2 Shutdown

Lando Norris's Monaco weekend took a hit after his McLaren MCL40 ground to a halt midway through second practice. The world champion was exiting the tunnel in seventh gear when his steering wheel suddenly went blank during braking for the seafront chicane, forcing him to abandon the car and triggering a Virtual Safety Car.

Why it matters:

Track time is priceless in Monaco. The tight, unforgiving street circuit demands absolute confidence and precision, making every practice lap critical for building rhythm ahead of qualifying. Losing most of FP2 puts Norris on the back foot at a venue where grid position effectively decides your race.

The details:

• The failure struck as Norris exited the tunnel, with the MCL40's steering wheel cutting out during braking for the harbor-front chicane.
• McLaren CEO Zak Brown told Sky Sports F1 that early data pointed to a battery issue as the cause.
• The team had fitted new power unit ancillary components before the session, raising questions about whether the fresh hardware played a role.
• Marshals recovered the car under Virtual Safety Car conditions, ending Norris's session early.

What's next:

Norris faces a race against time to get up to speed before Saturday's crucial qualifying. McLaren engineers must diagnose the battery fault and validate the new components overnight to prevent a repeat. With overtaking nearly impossible around the Principality, Friday's lost laps could prove costly on Sunday.