Mekies Praises McLaren Upgrade in Hungary, But Doubts Carryover

Laurent Mekies, Red Bull team principal, has weighed in on McLaren's dominance at the Hungarian Grand Prix. He admits the upgrade package brought by the rival team is impressive, but questions whether that performance will carry over to other circuits.

In Budapest, Max Verstappen had to settle for second place behind Lando Norris. For the first time this season, Red Bull and McLaren locked out the top two positions, ahead of both Ferraris and both Mercedes. The result underlined how far both teams have come after a turbulent start to 2026.

McLaren's major upgrade centered on a significant new floor and revised aerodynamic furniture around the front and rear of the MCL40. All changes were aimed at improving performance on high-downforce circuits, like the tight and twisting Hungaroring.

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"Yeah, I think the package they brought has certainly given them a big jump," Mekies told media, including RacingNews365. "So it is certainly impressive, and let's see how it performs on a different track."

The Hungaroring has indeed been a happy hunting ground for McLaren in recent years. They scored 1-2 finishes in both 2024 and 2025, before Norris made it three wins on the bounce this time around. The MCL40's short wheelbase rewards the rapid direction changes and rotation that Budapest demands, and with the track being energy-rich, it was the perfect place to test the new parts.

However, whether a floor optimized for high ride heights and softer suspension will translate to low-drag, power-sensitive venues like Monza remains to be seen. "But if I just look at Budapest and the jump they have made, it's certainly quite impressive," Mekies added. "I think it's the first race where we beat both Ferraris and both Mercedes, but I have to say that McLaren did a very good job with the pace they had."