McLaren is set for some vital Formula 1 upgrades for this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, including the latest Mercedes power unit and a new rear wing.
McLaren is looking to improve their performance at Spa-Francorchamps after a slow start to the 2026 season. The reigning World Champions has seen several failures of components for the MCL40, and fallen behind the works Mercedes team in terms of engine mileage after a double DNS in China and multiple DNFs.
The Woking-based team decided not to take the latest Mercedes power unit in Austria or Silverstone, unlike the other teams under the engine supplier. Mercedes first ran the new power unit at the Red Bull Ring, with Williams and Alpine following suit in Great Britain. But, Mclaren will now benefit from having fresh power units at Spa.
This should be a big advantage for the team, as sectors one and three are reliant on straight-line speed.
McLaren ‘confident’ that upgrades will add performance
McLaren has also confirmed it will test a new rear wing during Friday’s free practice sessions.
“Our preparation has been thorough, using extensive simulation work to get ahead of what we know will be a very demanding weekend for energy management,” said Neil Houldey, McLaren’s technical director of applied engineering.
“We’re arriving at Spa with a new rear wing assembly, an upgrade we’ve had in the pipeline as part of the car’s development pathway.
“We’re confident that this update will add a bit of performance to our car. But we are fully aware that after a difficult British Grand Prix, mainly in terms of pure performance, even this round won’t be that easy. So we won’t be expecting any big change in terms of competitiveness.
“The Belgian Grand Prix is going to be incredibly challenging from an energy management perspective. It’s one of the most energy-starved tracks on the calendar. We anticipate seeing a significant amount of super clip, which will test both the car and the drivers.
“Furthermore, the forecast looks unpredictable. While wet weather presents its own difficulties, we see it as a valuable opportunity to finally potentially run this car in the wet and understand its behaviour in low-grip conditions, which could provide crucial data for the rest of the season.”
McLaren continue to hunt their first victory of the season, with P2 finishes in Japan and Miami for Piastri and Norris respectively being their best result so far.
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