McLaren enters the 2026 Formula 1 season as reigning champions on both fronts, but it has acknowledged that the new regulations cycle sees it lose one of its biggest performance advantages.
The Woking-based squad has seen a continuing upwards trajectory since the middle of 2024, when its MCL38 began to become the dominant car of the field.
After claiming the Constructors’ Championship that year, it did so again in 2025, and went one better with Lando Norris taking the Drivers’ title in a final-round showdown in Abu Dhabi.
The MCL39 was lauded, particularly during the first half of the season, amid suspicions about how it was gaining an advantage on its rivals, including theories on tyre temperatures, and also heralded an FIA rule-change on the flexi-wings it perfected brilliantly.
And despite a double-disqualification in Las Vegas last year through excessive plank wear, McLaren largely was seen as the force of F1 during the second half of the ground-effect era.
But its Chief Designer, Rob Marshall, has conceded that the advantage it gained through its floors is now at an end, due to low ride heights replaced by high rakes, commonly seen in the pre-ground-effect era.
“Firstly, when it comes to aerodynamics, I can only speak for [Technical Director of Aerodynamics] Peter Prodromou, who is the genius on it,” he said.
“I think we’re accepting the fact that this is an entirely new car, there’s some learning and elements where we’ve leaned on other cars, but in truth, it is all new.
“The whole floor operation is completely different, the whole front of the car is completely different, the wings are completely different.
“There’s little read across, but some inspiration from what has happened in the past.
“The cars are slightly narrower by comparison [to 2025], but not enough to have a real effect in terms of how the car feels to the driver.
“It’s got less downforce, but the driver won’t really feel the difference in the wheelbase, but it is going to be a different experience.
“Whether or not it changes the racing fundamentally, I’m not sure, but hopefully it is a good car to drive.”
READ MORE – McLaren sure of ‘exploiting’ key area to claim 2026 F1 success
Discussion about this post