2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

[Seerix]

it was 5th fastest pit stop of the race, ~0.5s slower than the fastest one
https://www.formula1.com/en/results/202 ... op-summary

[CjC]

I did wonder if it would be a new front ring in Canada.
According to this, there is:

‘The pace shifts among the top four highlighted that aero gains are going to be aggressive this season, but all eyes are now on Canada because Mercedes will pull the pin on its own W17 revamp - as McLaren runs the second half of its overhaul of the MCL40, which will include a new front wing.‘

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-2 ... e-learned/

[Gillian]

Personally i think lando is driving to a higher standard this year in the races he has took part in, probably due to winning the championship and racing with less pressure, probably needs a little work in qualifying tho which is strange to say because i always thought that was his biggest strength.

Does seem he is doing very well indeed. Hard to say anything regarding qualifying performance taking this crappy rules into context. We'll see what happens the next few races with the updated rules. Would not surprise me to see Norris do excellent again.

[Darth-Piekus]

Considering this is the other half are we expecting the upgrade in Canada to be just as huge as this one?

[Mcl_G10]

Considering this is the other half are we expecting the upgrade in Canada to be just as huge as this one?

Me personally, no. I think a couple of tenths although its a complete guess. A front wing and perhaps sooner or later we will see mclaren version of the macarena wing.

2-3 tenths qualy pace and a couple of tenths race pace. That should be enough to stay well on the back of Mercedes.

Mercedes themselves have to tread carefully as we have seen many times before that upgrades dont always work in harmony and can cause problems and upset balance.

[Balalu]

I am hearing that McLaren (eundurance racing team) "designed and built in-house" their own engine, with technical ssistance from Autotecnica.

This is interesting for the future if true. Still far off from an F1 engine programme, but an interesting step.

[Emag]

Considering this is the other half are we expecting the upgrade in Canada to be just as huge as this one?

Me personally, no. I think a couple of tenths although its a complete guess. A front wing and perhaps sooner or later we will see mclaren version of the macarena wing.

2-3 tenths qualy pace and a couple of tenths race pace. That should be enough to stay well on the back of Mercedes.

Mercedes themselves have to tread carefully as we have seen many times before that upgrades dont always work in harmony and can cause problems and upset balance.

That was valid before with the complicated floors which caused headaches to pretty much everyone except from McLaren during 2023-2025. Before that, Mercedes used to be quite efficient in their upgrades, so normally you would not expect them to mess up with this new formula now.

[BMMR61]

I am hearing that McLaren (eundurance racing team) "designed and built in-house" their own engine, with technical ssistance from Autotecnica.

This is interesting for the future if true. Still far off from an F1 engine programme, but an interesting step.

I think the cost of the development of the hybrid component makes this the domain of the large corporations. Renault (Alpine) were probably right and rational with their decision to pull out before a major PU rule change. So what does that say about the prospects of McLaren as an F1 "manufacturer"? Sadly unlikely in the extreme.

[venkyhere]

Considering this is the other half are we expecting the upgrade in Canada to be just as huge as this one?

2-3 tenths qualy pace and a couple of tenths race pace. That should be enough to stay well on the back of Mercedes.

To be honest, if there was ever a formula where quali pace didn't matter at all (within a range of course, anywhere in front three rows is fine), it is this one, where racing is defined by yo-yo overtakes, which in turn, is governed by charge availability. The 55:45 peak power split with a 4MJ battery has ensured that the Sunday performance is defined purely by optimizing the car's balance for race trim, rather than quali. That's always been the case in general over the years, but it's in this 2026 formula where starting position matters much much less, an 'incident-free' first lap is far more important. The only exception to this notion is Monaco (not even Singapore) which is more a problem with the track, because that's been the case with Monaco, in any formula since cars became large and ~2m wide since ~2009-2010 era.

[De Wet]

I am hearing that McLaren (eundurance racing team) "designed and built in-house" their own engine, with technical ssistance from Autotecnica.

This is interesting for the future if true. Still far off from an F1 engine programme, but an interesting step.

I think the cost of the development of the hybrid component makes this the domain of the large corporations. Renault (Alpine) were probably right and rational with their decision to pull out before a major PU rule change. So what does that say about the prospects of McLaren as an F1 "manufacturer"? Sadly unlikely in the extreme.

If the rumors of returning to V8's with a small electrical element are true, then it's not too unrealistic...

[Balalu]

I am hearing that McLaren (eundurance racing team) "designed and built in-house" their own engine, with technical ssistance from Autotecnica.

This is interesting for the future if true. Still far off from an F1 engine programme, but an interesting step.

I think the cost of the development of the hybrid component makes this the domain of the large corporations. Renault (Alpine) were probably right and rational with their decision to pull out before a major PU rule change. So what does that say about the prospects of McLaren as an F1 "manufacturer"? Sadly unlikely in the extreme.

Yes, but this is still a step. I think it's a first for McLaren in general. And if McLaren racing continue to make good profit, who know where they might dip their fingers.

[Def]

McLaren still need the FIA to approve ‘ingenious’ upgrade that will put them ahead of Mercedes.
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mclare ... -mercedes/

[CjC]

Not this again

[Darth-Piekus]

I dont see why Mclaren shouldnt be allowed to use the new upgrade. Everything is being done by the book.

[WardenOfTheNorth]

I am hearing that McLaren (eundurance racing team) "designed and built in-house" their own engine, with technical ssistance from Autotecnica.

This is interesting for the future if true. Still far off from an F1 engine programme, but an interesting step.

I think the cost of the development of the hybrid component makes this the domain of the large corporations. Renault (Alpine) were probably right and rational with their decision to pull out before a major PU rule change. So what does that say about the prospects of McLaren as an F1 "manufacturer"? Sadly unlikely in the extreme.

If the rumors of returning to V8's with a small electrical element are true, then it's not too unrealistic...

I firmly believe that they should allow teams to source the hybrid and battery separately from the ICE if they wish to design and build their ICE.

That way McLaren, for example, could build the ICE and partner with someone like BYD for example, on the hybrid and battery.

I agree with others saying they'll buy, or at least invest in, Ricardo and build their own PU if the rumoured hybrid V8's come to fruition.