Lando Norris Forced To Retire From Australian GP FP3 After Disastrous Breakdown

Lando Norris is out of the FP3 session ahead of the Australian GP qualifying.

Lando Norris has not had an ideal lead-up to the Australian Grand Prix qualifying session this weekend and has now had to retire from Free Practice 3 with a clutch issue. 

The McLaren team has taken to social media to confirm that the Belgian-British driver is out of the practice session, writing:

"Lando has to jump out of the car with just under 20 minutes remaining FP3. The team are taking precautionary measures to inspect a possible clutch issue on his car to ensure we're ready for qualifying."

Lando has to jump out of the car with just under 20 minutes remaining FP3.

The team are taking precautionary measures to inspect a possible clutch issue on his car to ensure we're ready for qualifying.#AusGP 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/37PoEKnLNR

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) April 1, 2023

McLaren has had a difficult start to the season with both Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri failing to put any points on the board so far. Piastri was forced to retire from the first race of the season in Bahrain due to electrical issues, and whilst Norris crossed the finish line, he had to pit six times throughout the race with a pneumatic leak. 

Saudi Arabia was not much better for the team as both cars were damaged early on in the race so Piastri and Norris finished fifteenth and seventeenth, respectively. 

Norris will now be heading into the Australian Grand Prix qualifying session without any practice in a low-fuel run, putting him at a disadvantage.