Norris: McLaren's Race Pace Slightly Off Rivals' Speed

McLaren's Lando Norris has conceded the team's 2026 car is currently "a little bit off" the race pace of key rivals like Ferrari and Mercedes, forcing the drivers to push harder and leading to higher tire degradation. The reigning champion team is now focused on improving "every area" of the MCL40 to find performance before the season opener in Melbourne.

Why it matters:

As the defending double champions, McLaren entered the new regulatory era with high expectations. Norris's candid assessment reveals the team is not starting from a position of strength in race trim, a domain where they excelled in 2025. With Ferrari and Mercedes showing impressive long-run performance in testing, the early-season pecking order appears more fluid than last year, setting up a potentially tight battle at the front.

The details:

• Testing Takeaways: While the top four teams from 2025 appear to remain the same, their order is unclear. Ferrari set the outright pace in Bahrain, but it was the strong race simulations from both Ferrari and Mercedes that caught McLaren's attention.
• Norris's Analysis: The British driver explained the current deficit means McLaren cannot afford to manage races from the front as they often did last season. To match rivals' pace, they must push the car harder, which in turn increases tire wear.
• Strengths vs. New Car: Norris confirmed that not all of the concepts that made the 2025 car a strong race performer have directly transferred to the new MCL40 under the vastly different 2026 regulations. The team is still working to get the car's balance into an optimal operating window.
• Development Focus: Team Principal Andrea Stella has been alerted by the rivals' testing pace. Norris stated the team is working hard on "every area," specifically citing race pace and tire management as critical development targets, admitting they need to "improve in most areas."

What's next:

The F1 2026 campaign begins with free practice in Melbourne on March 6th. The limited testing data means all teams head to the first race with some unknowns. For McLaren, the gap between now and the Australian Grand Prix will be crucial for understanding and unlocking the MCL40's potential. If they can translate their development work into a more forgiving race car, their championship defense will be on much firmer ground.