McLaren to Unveil ‘Completely New’ MCL40 for North America
Summary
McLaren boss Andrea Stella says the team will unveil a revised MCL40 for the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix, hoping a fresh aero package can halt the early‑season slide and bring them back into contention with front‑runners.
McLaren is set to debut a fundamentally revised MCL40 at the upcoming Miami and Canadian Grands Prix after a disappointing start to the 2026 season.
Why it matters:
Lando Norris finished fifth in Melbourne and Oscar Piastri retired in China, exposing a performance gap. A fresh aero package could restore podium chances and keep McLaren in the points hunt.
The details:
- New aero philosophy – the upgrade rethinks floor, rear wing and airflow to recover lost down‑force.
- Development window – calendar changes gave extra time for ground‑effect work while the car was not in race trim.
- Benchmarking rivals – Stella notes Mercedes and Ferrari also have updates; the race will decide who extracts the most performance.
- Driver confidence – Piastri’s Japan podium gave a morale boost; both drivers expect a “more competitive” MCL40 in Miami.
- Resource allocation – staff shifted from race‑weekend duties to a focused sprint, speeding up part rollout.
What's next:
McLaren will run the new package in Miami and then at the Canadian Grand Prix. If the upgrade yields the expected lap‑time gain, the team could climb the standings through the summer and stay in the title chase. If rivals stay ahead, another development phase will be needed later in the year.
Original Article :https://f1i.com/news/563162-all-in-for-america-mclaren-set-to-unleash-completely...