McLaren unveils 2026 F1 livery ahead of title defense

McLaren has revealed the actual livery for its 2026 Formula 1 car during an event in Bahrain, becoming the penultimate team to do so ahead of the new season. The reigning world champions showcased a design that builds on their recent identity, featuring more papaya orange and a revised black pattern on the engine cover, as they prepare for their title defense.

Why it matters:

The livery reveal marks the final visual step before McLaren begins its official defense of the constructors' championship. After a steady but lap-limited start in pre-season testing, the team's focus now shifts to performance validation in Bahrain, where the true competitive order for 2026 is expected to become clearer.

The details:

• The MCL40's livery was presented in the team's Bahrain test garage, maintaining the core papaya and blue identity but with an increased presence of the signature orange color.
• McLaren first showed test livery renders during the Barcelona test, with the real car debuting on track two days later.
• In Barcelona, McLaren completed 287 laps, significantly fewer than engine supplier Mercedes' 500 laps, a pace that team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged has "raised the bar."
• Despite the lower lap count, the team's fastest time in Barcelona was within 0.25 seconds of Lewis Hamilton's test-topping benchmark for Mercedes.
• With this reveal, only Aston Martin has yet to show its 2026 livery, which is scheduled for unveiling on Monday evening.

What's next:

All attention turns to performance. The first of two three-day pre-season tests in Bahrain begins later this week, providing a more accurate and representative indication of each team's pace ahead of the season opener in Melbourne in early March. McLaren will be keen to translate its promising single-lap pace from Barcelona into consistent long-run performance and reliability to confirm its status as a championship contender.