McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has acknowledged that the team’s challenging start to the 2026 Formula 1 season is a direct consequence of their championship success in 2025. The Woking-based outfit secured a Formula 1 championship double last season, with Lando Norris claiming his maiden drivers’ crown.
The intense battle for the 2025 Drivers’ Championship saw Norris clinch the title by a narrow two-point margin over Max Verstappen, with Oscar Piastri also in contention for a period. McLaren’s relentless push to fend off Verstappen in the closing stages of the 2025 season necessitated extra resources being allocated to the outgoing car.
This strategic decision meant less focus was placed on the development of the all-new 2026 regulations, which have been described as some of the most significant in the sport’s history. Stella confirmed that this approach led to a ‘heavy price’ at the start of the current campaign.
The 2026 technical regulations introduced disruptive changes, including new power units with a 50-50 power output ratio, demanding a substantial adaptation in driving style. Additionally, the new chassis designs produce less downforce compared to the previous ground-effect cars.
McLaren’s early 2026 performance was marked by struggles, with the car exhibiting a narrow operating window and a deficit in high-speed corners. The team has openly stated it is approximately three months behind its rivals in the development race.
The initial rounds of the season highlighted reliability issues. Lando Norris secured a fifth-place finish in Melbourne, but Oscar Piastri faced a ‘did not start’ at his home race. Both McLarens failed to start the race in China, and Norris retired in Canada and Monaco.
After three rounds in 2026, McLaren had accumulated only 46 points, a significant drop from the 111 points they had at the same stage in 2025. This placed them third in the Constructors’ Championship with 220 points, 159 points behind leaders Mercedes.
Norris currently sits fifth in the Drivers’ Championship with 128 points, trailing leader Kimi Antonelli by 91 points. Despite the car’s early limitations, Norris believes his personal driving performance in 2026 has been superior to his title-winning 2025 season.
The team has demonstrated its ability to develop the car during a season. A significant aerodynamic package introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix marked a turning point. Norris converted pole position into his first win of the 2026 season at the Hungaroring, his 12th career F1 victory and a second consecutive win at the circuit.
During the Hungarian Grand Prix, Piastri briefly led before retiring due to a mechanical failure following contact with Carlos Sainz. Max Verstappen finished second, with Kimi Antonelli completing the podium.
‘I believe the most important lesson we’ve taken away from these seven months of hard work is that, in times of great difficulty, unity is strength,’ Stella stated. ‘We’ve demonstrated, first and foremost to ourselves, just how crucial team cohesion is to bouncing back and getting back on track towards the top.’
Stella expressed satisfaction with how Norris and Piastri have performed under the disruptive 2026 regulations, particularly their focus on understanding the new power units. He noted that the learning process was complicated by early reliability issues.
McLaren does not yet feel they have fully understood the potential of their 2026 car. However, the team is now actively engaged in the upgrade race, aiming to consistently contend for victories.
