Romain Grosjean’s Australian Grand Prix lasted less than one lap after the Frenchman struggled to get off the line at the start in his Mercedes-powered Lotus E23 Hybrid.
The Frenchman then shuffled along the Albert Park Circuit only to head back to the pits and call it a day. This capped a nightmare start to the race for Lotus with team-mate Pastor Maldonado crashing out of the Grand Prix on the exit of Turn 2 just after the lights were out.
Following a solid qualifying that had seen both E23s make it to Q3, hopes of a solid initial point haul Down Under were high at Lotus.
“We lost engine power on the formation lap, we don’t know yet why,” Grosjean told French TV channel Canal+. “At the start, there was just no power at all so we had to retire. We don’t know yet what the cause of the issue is so we must investigate the problem.
“I am not too worried because the situation is different from last year. This time we have a good car. Today was just a case of sheer bad luck but I remain optimistic for the remainder of the season.
Click here for the full gallery from the Australian Grand Prix
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
McLaren boss Zak Brown has brushed off a claim from Australian senator Matt Canavan that…
Lando Norris closed out Friday at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with authority, topping the…
Full results from Free Practice 2 for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina,…
Intrigue is swirling around Adrian Sutil after the former Grand Prix driver was arrested in…
On this day in 1975, a somber mood enveloped St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire as…
As Abu Dhabi prepares to crown a world champion, McLaren has finally cracked the door…