McLaren is on a path to become Mercedes’ chief rival by the end of the 2026 Formula One season, former Alpine president Otmar Szafnauer told the High Performance Racing podcast.
Upgrade tide turning on the grid
After Lando Norris captured back‑to‑back victories at the Hungaroring and Circuit Zandvoort, the Woking outfit’s new development kit delivered an unmistakable performance lift that the team has now fully integrated for Monza.
Szafnauer praised the rhythm in McLaren’s progress, noting that the upgrade package that proved its worth in Hungary has been refined further through learning curves in wind‑tunnel and CFD models.
Monza may tip the balance
With the comprehensive upgrade now in place, the driver said Monza could prove decisive: “Let’s see how they go in Monza,” Szafnauer recalled, suggesting a potential climb above Ferrari in the constructors’ standings.
Cost‑cap wars shape release cadence
Mercedes has intentionally staggered its parts releases to stay within the €140 million cap, focusing on a single, large upgrade in Malaysia or Singapore, according to Szafnauer. He added that the team will continue learning in the background through CFD work and the creation of new wind‑tunnel parts.
By enabling robust data‑driven updates, Black‑and‑White aim to keep pace while remaining compliant with regulatory limits.
The Italian Grand Prix will serve as the real test for McLaren’s new components; only the results will reveal the effectiveness of the German outfit’s strategy.
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