McLaren admit 'challenging' 2026 season is 'below expectations'

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has acknowledged that the reigning constructors' champions are "below our expectations" after a "challenging" opening stretch of the 2026 season. For the second time this year, both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri failed to score points in Canada, a major blow to their title ambitions and McLaren's championship defense.

Why it matters:

McLaren entered 2026 as the team to beat after a stunning development run over the past three seasons, but a series of reliability gremlins and operational errors have left them 113 points behind Mercedes. With five straight Mercedes wins to start the year, the gap is already threatening to become insurmountable.

The details:

• Stella cited problems "in all areas of racing" in Canada — from sporting decisions and racecraft to reliability and a crash.
• Earlier issues included Oscar Piastri's grid-lap failure in the season opener and a double DNS in China due to a power unit electrical problem.
• On the positive side, Stella sees encouraging signs in car development and power unit exploitation: "We are learning a lot."
• The new front wing brought to Canada was removed after practice after not working as expected; Norris confirmed it may return in Monaco or Spain.

What's next:

Despite the points deficit, Stella is not waving the white flag: "We are definitely believers that the championship is not signed off. We want it decided in Abu Dhabi."

• McLaren's low-speed corner strength could make them competitive in Monaco, where Norris won last year in a wheel-to-wheel battle with Leclerc.
• Stella sees Ferrari as the Monaco favorite but expects McLaren to be in the mix. A strong result in Monte Carlo is crucial to halt Mercedes' momentum and keep faint title hopes alive.