'Ferrari have the best chassis," claims McLaren after Hamilton's Barcelona victory

McLaren heads into the next phase of the 2026 Formula One season with a clear development direction, after a Barcelona weekend that underlined both the strengths of its rivals and the potential still locked inside the MCL40.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella offered a candid assessment of the competitive landscape while confirming that new upgrades are scheduled for both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, as the team works to keep pace with Mercedes and Ferrari.

Stella was unequivocal in his praise for Ferrari’s chassis, identifying it as the current benchmark in medium‑speed performance. “Ferrari at the moment is the car with the best chassis,” he said, noting that the Scuderia’s advantage is most visible in the middle sector of Barcelona, where cornering performance dominates.

Ferrari may not be the fastest on the straights, but in the corners — especially medium‑speed — Stella sees them as the reference.

Yet when the full package is considered, Stella believes Mercedes holds the strongest overall car. With Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell extracting impressive one‑lap performance, he described the Silver Arrows as the most complete combination of chassis and power unit.

“Probably Mercedes over a single lap, the best car overall. When the chassis and the power unit are both considered," continued the Italian.

Despite a challenging weekend for McLaren, Norris salvaged a podium thanks to improved reliability from the Mercedes HPP power unit, a factor Stella was keen to highlight. The team’s operational execution remained strong, even if outright pace fluctuated across conditions.

Crucially, McLaren did not leave Barcelona empty‑handed on the development front. The team introduced a revised front‑wing endplate, aimed at improving flow conditioning and enhancing overall aerodynamic performance.

The update — part of McLaren’s ongoing refinement programme — represents a targeted attempt to stabilise airflow structures around the front axle, improving consistency and efficiency across a range of cornering speeds. This aligns with Stella’s broader message: incremental, continuous improvement rather than dramatic overhauls.

Looking ahead, Stella confirmed that more upgrades are coming. “We aim for the coming races to develop our car further by bringing some upgrades, but at the same time, we are certain that our competitors will also have some upgrades.”

The development race, he stressed, is relentless — and McLaren cannot afford to stand still. But Stella was equally clear that McLaren’s focus must remain internal. “Honestly, we want to look at our own trajectory… maximum focus at the moment is internal, what we need to do to improve the car.”