Piastri details McLaren MCL40's early 'problems and limitations' after shakedown

Oscar Piastri says McLaren has gained a clearer understanding of its new MCL40's "problems and limitations" following a three-day shakedown test in Barcelona, despite a fuel system issue cutting his track time short. The team completed nearly 300 laps, with Lando Norris setting the third-fastest unofficial time, as all squads begin the complex adaptation to F1's radically new 2026 technical regulations.

Why it matters:

The Barcelona test represents the first real-world data point for the all-new 2026 cars, which feature shorter chassis, active aerodynamics, and a new power unit formula. Identifying fundamental car characteristics and early reliability gremlins now is critical for teams to direct their development focus before the only official pre-season test in Bahrain next month, setting the initial competitive tone for the year.

The details:

• McLaren opted to run in the final three days of the five-day Barcelona window, accumulating 291 laps in total. Lando Norris completed 76 laps on day one before Piastri took over.
• Piastri's running was limited to 48 laps on Thursday after the team discovered a fuel system problem. Technical director Mark Temple stated the complex car was stripped down to diagnose the issue fully.
• On the final day, driving duties were shared, with Norris ending the test with an unofficial best time of 1:16.594, two-tenths behind Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton. Piastri finished 1.1 seconds off the pace.
• Beyond the glitch, Piastri reported positive initial feelings, stating he found a "pretty good rhythm" and began to understand the car's base behavior, trying different configurations to simulate a race weekend.
• The Australian highlighted the significant learning curve, particularly with the new Mercedes HPP power unit, which runs on fully sustainable fuel and has a 50/50 combustion-electric power split. He emphasized that both drivers are providing crucial feedback to help Mercedes understand the PU.
• The biggest tangible change for drivers is the dramatic reduction in overall downforce compared to the previous generation of ground-effect cars, requiring a re-calibration of driving style and car setup.

What's next:

The findings from Barcelona, both positive and negative, will fuel a crucial few weeks of development at McLaren's Woking factory before the official pre-season test in Bahrain begins on February 11th. The team's ability to address the identified "problems and limitations" and further integrate driver feedback on the new power unit and low-downforce platform will be their first major test of 2026.