McLaren names upgrade sync as 'biggest factor' in Silverstone slump

McLaren boss Andrea Stella has identified falling out of upgrade sync with rivals as the primary cause of the team's recent dip after a difficult British Grand Prix where the MCL40 struggled for pace.

Why it matters:

McLaren entered the year as a championship favorite, but Silverstone exposed a worrying trend. With Ferrari and Mercedes pulling ahead in the development race, the Woking squad risks losing vital ground unless it can quickly rediscover its upgrade path and extract more from its Mercedes power unit.

The details:

• Stella called being "out of sync with upgrades" the "biggest single factor," noting rivals are finding around three-tenths per package while McLaren's gap to the front sits near half a second.
• The MCL40's last major package arrived in Miami, but subsequent parts have hit trouble. A revised front-wing was shelved in Canada before returning in Barcelona, while a new 'Macarena' rear-wing was withdrawn in Austria and did not appear at Silverstone.
• McLaren is also yet to run the latest Mercedes power unit already in use at Alpine and Williams, with Stella admitting there is more to extract from the current unit beyond deployment.
• Silverstone's low-grip, windy conditions exposed the MCL40's nervous handling. Lando Norris salvaged fourth and a Sprint third place, but Oscar Piastri endured a tougher weekend, finishing 11th after a first-lap front-wing change.

What's next:

McLaren is planning fresh parts for the Hungarian Grand Prix to get back on track. A switch to the newer Mercedes power unit is also understood to be possible before the summer break, offering a double boost as the team fights to reclaim the edge it held in 2025.