Oscar Piastri will not take part in his Australian Grand Prix home race after crashing his McLaren Formula 1 car on his lap to the grid.
Some 40 minutes before the race Piastri left the pits for the customary laps to the grid as teams conduct their final checks before taking up their grid positions.
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But coming out of the Turn 4 left-hander, Piastri suddenly lost control over his McLaren as he crossed the exit kerbs, with his MCL40 spinning and veering into the wall on drivers’ left.
Piastri escaped without injury, but destroyed the front-end of his McLaren, with terminal damage to his right-front wheel and suspension, forcing the Australian to park his car on the spot as he dejectedly walked away from the scene.
Piastri had qualified fifth for his home race and was due to share the third row with team-mate Lando Norris.
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
The crash was a huge blow to the Australian fans, with a record crowd turning out to cheer the Melbourne native on. The sold-out Piastri grandstand on the main straight overlooking the McLaren garage, which had been cheering its driver’s exit from the pitlane, fell silent in one fell swoop.
Mercedes driver George Russell will start from pole at Albert Park ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli, with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar third.
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Photos from Australian GP – Sunday
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Jayce Illman / Getty Images
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Mario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Mario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Entertainers
Entertainers
Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Mark Thompson / Getty Images
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Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Mark Thompson / Getty Images
Zak Brown, McLaren
Zak Brown, McLaren
Martin Keep / AFP via Getty Images
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Peter Bayer, Racing Bulls
Peter Bayer, Racing Bulls
Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
Peter Bayer, Racing Bulls
Peter Bayer, Racing Bulls
Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
Alexander Albon, Williams
Alexander Albon, Williams
Martin Keep / AFP via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Jack Doohan, Haas F1 Team
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Jack Doohan, Haas F1 Team
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
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Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Alexander Albon, Williams
Alexander Albon, Williams
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Kym Illman / Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Kym Illman / Getty Images
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Kym Illman / Getty Images
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Mark Thompson / Getty Images
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Martin Keep / AFP via Getty Images
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, George Russell, Mercedes, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, George Russell, Mercedes, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
The 2026 F1 drivers photo
The 2026 F1 drivers photo
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
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The 2026 F1 drivers photo
The 2026 F1 drivers photo
Anni Graf – Formula 1 via Getty Images
The 2026 F1 drivers photo
The 2026 F1 drivers photo
Anni Graf – Formula 1 via Getty Images
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LIVE: F1 Australian Grand Prix updates – Oscar Piastri crashes on way to grid
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