McLaren are riding an incredible wave of momentum in Formula 1 2026. After Lando Norris won back-to-back races in Hungary and the Netherlands, the Woking-based squad has become the center of attention in the paddock. However, behind those sweet results lies a long story of struggling to overcome a slow start in the new regulations era.
Early in the season, the MCL40 showed some promising pace, especially at Suzuka. But consistency was a major issue. The team struggled to extract maximum performance from their package and lagged behind main rivals like Mercedes and Ferrari. That situation made many doubt McLaren's ability to compete at the top.
Everything changed at the Hungarian Grand Prix, just before the summer break. For the first time in 2026, McLaren were ahead of both Mercedes and Ferrari in terms of pure pace. Norris converted that strong performance into a victory, edging out teammate Oscar Piastri in a tense intra-team battle. That win seemed to be the turning point that boosted the entire team's confidence.
Andrea Stella, McLaren's Team Principal, explained that this resurgence was no coincidence. The team worked hard at the factory to develop the car aggressively. Stella admitted that not all upgrades went smoothly, but the success rate was relatively high. "One item that wasn't straightforward was the front wing; we had to make some modifications. Otherwise, the success rate of our upgrades has been quite high," he said.
At Zandvoort, McLaren brought another upgrade package, though smaller than in Hungary. Stella noted that the performance gain in the Netherlands was more due to an optimized concept for the track's characteristics. However, he also reminded that there is still homework to be done. "We still need to improve tire management, especially for conventional tracks ahead," he added.
One of the biggest challenges for McLaren is adapting to the new 2026 Pirelli tires. Stella emphasized that although the car is competitive in qualifying, tire degradation remains a weakness to be addressed. The sprint race at Zandvoort was clear evidence that they haven't fully mastered tire conditions during long races.
Now, attention shifts to Monza, the so-called "Temple of Speed." McLaren certainly hopes to continue their positive trend. However, Stella remains cautious. "We are happy with this development, but there is still a lot of work to be done," he concluded. With competition getting tighter, every detail will determine who emerges as champion at the end of the season.
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