McLaren Defiant on Title Hopes Despite ‘Below Expectation’ 2026 Start

McLaren entered 2026 as back-to-back Constructors' champions and Lando Norris as the reigning Drivers' champion, but the first five rounds have been unforgiving. Team principal Andrea Stella admits the start has been “definitely below” expectations, but he is not surrendering the title fight just yet.

Why it matters:

McLaren's struggles — from pre-race failures to on-track incidents — have left Norris 73 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli and Piastri a further 10 adrift. Yet the team still sits third in the Constructors' standings with three podiums. With at least 22 races scheduled, a turnaround is feasible, and Stella is banking on long-term development and reliability gains to close the gap.

The Details:

• Early race disasters: Piastri failed to start in Australia; neither driver made the grid in China due to an electrical issue; both were involved in separate incidents in Canada.
• Points damage: Five of ten possible grand prix finishes have resulted in points finishes outside the top ten or DNFs.
• Encouraging signs: Stella highlighted the car's development trajectory and improved power unit exploitation as positives.
• Stella's mindset: “It's still five races out of at least 22. We just try to learn every day. The championship is not signed off.”

What's next:

This weekend's Monaco Grand Prix marks McLaren's 1,000th F1 race start. The team will celebrate by inviting every living McLaren race winner to the grid and displaying the M2B — its first-ever F1 car — alongside the current challenger. For Stella, the focus remains on chipping away at the deficit: “We want the championship to be decided in Abu Dhabi.”