McLaren admit 'heavy price' paid for 2025 title, now reborn in Hungary

McLaren finally returned to winning ways at the Hungarian Grand Prix after seven months of struggle. Team principal Andrea Stella has openly admitted the team paid a "heavy price" for securing the 2025 titles, which directly impacted their early-season form this year.

The Woking-based squad entered the 2026 season as defending double champions, having sealed both the constructors' and drivers' championships last year. However, the massive regulation overhaul left McLaren trailing behind Mercedes, who dominated from the opening rounds.

Stella explained that the relentless development of the 2025 car, pushed to the very end of the season to fend off Max Verstappen's late charge, caused the team to lose momentum for the 2026 machine. "We realised just how heavy a price we had paid for the effort we put in during 2025," he said, as quoted in the team's official report.

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Despite occasional podiums early on, McLaren only became truly competitive after introducing a major upgrade in Hungary. Lando Norris secured victory there, signalling that the team is back in contention.

Stella emphasised that this resurgence was no accident. "The most important lesson from these seven months of hard work is that in times of great difficulty, unity is strength," he said. "We proved that team cohesion is crucial to bouncing back."

With the win in Hungary, McLaren now has valuable momentum for the rest of the season. However, Stella warned that challenges remain, and the team must keep focusing on long-term development without sacrificing on-track performance.