McLaren’s 2026 campaign has struggled to bridge a front‑row deficit amplified by a new power‑unit era.
From 2025 hangover to a 2026 skeleton
The Woking‑based outfit entered the fresh era hampered by a 2025 title‑race spillover and sluggish exploitation of Mercedes’ hybrids.
While Mercedes rolled out a superior vehicle and Ferrari’s SF‑26, despite an engine handicap, led the pack, McLaren was already a fortnight behind on chassis and aero.
A mid‑season pivot to a new aero concept pushed the team’s 2026 car two to three months behind rivals in aerodynamic refinement.
From wobble to win – the upgrade story
Initial uncertainty simmered as Oscar Piastri spun on an Australian reconnaissance lap and both he and Lando Norris were absent from the China start due to electrical failures.
Confronted with third place and a 159‑point gap to Mercedes, McLaren once again leaned on its factory advantage, reviving the 2024 Miami upgrade formula.
After Piastri finished second in Japan, a redesigned front wing and floor upgrade delivered a double podium and culminated in Norris’s Grand Prix victory in Hungary, marking his first win as reigning champion.
Team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged that the Hungary package sparked a renewed jump at the back, while recognising that sustained victory hinges on continuous upgrades.
Looking ahead – the race of upgrades
With McLaren stepping back into the upgrade race, the focus remains on incremental gains, potentially improving lap times by up to half a second across the remaining 11 races.
The next stages will test whether the team can keep pace with Mercedes and Ferrari as the season unfolds.
Photo by Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images
Photo by Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
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