Andrea Stella believes McLaren has resumed the 2026 Formula 1 season exactly where it left off before the summer break, with the MCL40 again showing strong competitiveness at Zandvoort. However, the McLaren team principal is taking nothing for granted ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix races, identifying Ferrari in particular as a potentially serious threat on long-run pace.
McLaren’s victory in Hungary increasingly appears to have been more than an isolated result. After returning from Formula 1’s summer break, the Woking team immediately demonstrated that the progress made before the shutdown has carried over into the Dutch Grand Prix weekend.
McLaren MCL40 remains competitive after Hungary breakthrough
Friday’s Sprint Qualifying reinforced two important trends: Lando Norris remains in excellent form, while the MCL40 appears to have regained the level of competitiveness that had been missing for much of the first half of the season.
That improvement is particularly important for a McLaren team that has continued to develop the MCL40 aggressively. The squad arrived at Zandvoort with further changes after confirming new rear-end upgrades for the Dutch Grand Prix, building on the package that had already produced encouraging results in Hungary.
Andrea Stella did not hide his satisfaction after seeing the car reproduce its Budapest performance over a single lap.
“At the moment, I would say we’ve picked up where we left off,” Andrea Stella said at Zandvoort. “The car was competitive in Hungary and the comparison there with Ferrari and Mercedes was also very close. So, in a way, it’s positive that we’ve picked up where we left off, because it means McLaren is there, it’s competitive, and that’s thanks to the upgrades we brought in Hungary.”
“Here we have a few more components, but we’re not as consistent as we were in Hungary. So I think we have an interesting weekend ahead of us and an equally interesting second half of the season.”
McLaren upgrades continue to shape its Dutch GP performance
McLaren’s return to stronger form comes after a period in which the MCL40 struggled to establish itself consistently among the quickest cars. The Hungary package appears to have helped broaden the car’s performance potential, while additional components introduced at Zandvoort are intended to continue that progress.
The Dutch circuit also places particular demands on aerodynamic efficiency and rear stability, areas in which McLaren has continued to refine its package. The team’s unusual Zandvoort rear-wing approach has already drawn attention as McLaren attempts to build on its previous success at the circuit, where it has already taken two victories.
Stella’s comments nevertheless underline that the gains have not completely transformed the MCL40 into an easy or consistently dominant package. Although McLaren has again placed itself in contention, the margins against Ferrari and Mercedes remain small.
Andrea Stella warns Ferrari looks strong on race pace
Saturday at Zandvoort is not following the conventional Formula 1 weekend format. There is no third practice session, with the Sprint Race instead providing the first genuine indication of what could partly be expected in Sunday’s full-distance Grand Prix.
Ferrari showed encouraging signs during Friday’s first practice session, while Mercedes also remained firmly in the competitive picture. That has prompted Andrea Stella to warn McLaren against assuming its recent resurgence will automatically translate into another victory.
“I think, in terms of pace, this morning we saw that Ferrari looked very competitive,” Andrea Stella explained. “In FP1, it’s difficult to understand what fuel level our rivals used in the long runs, but Ferrari looked competitive, as did Mercedes. So I think it’s somewhat a reflection of what we saw in qualifying.”
The close performance picture is consistent with expectations heading into the weekend. Zandvoort’s characteristics were already expected to give Ferrari opportunities to challenge, with the Dutch Grand Prix layout potentially suiting the Ferrari SF-26 while McLaren targets another victory.
Weather could turn Dutch GP Sprint into unpredictable fight
The competitive order may not be determined purely by car performance. Unsettled weather remains another major consideration at Zandvoort, potentially adding another layer of unpredictability to both the Sprint and the rest of the weekend.
“I expect the Sprint race to be very closely fought, but we shouldn’t forget that quite a lot of bad weather is coming, so it could become fairly eventful because of some external circumstances as well,” Andrea Stella said.
“It’s been a good start: I’m sure we can still add something to the performance of the car, but we also have to be very well prepared, given that the weekend is quite unstable from a weather point of view.”
The possibility of rain had already been highlighted ahead of the weekend, with forecasts showing an elevated risk of wet conditions at Zandvoort. On a circuit where grip levels and wind can change quickly, that uncertainty could make tyre preparation, set-up compromises and strategic decisions particularly important.
McLaren faces tight Ferrari and Mercedes fight after summer break
For McLaren, the opening phase of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend has nevertheless provided confirmation that its Hungary performance was not simply a one-off. The MCL40 once again appears capable of challenging at the front, giving the team an encouraging platform from which to attack the second half of the championship.
That does not mean the competitive hierarchy is settled. Ferrari’s long-run pace has caught Andrea Stella’s attention, while Mercedes remains close enough to influence both the Sprint and Sunday’s Grand Prix. The battle between the leading teams therefore appears likely to remain extremely tight.
With every point becoming increasingly valuable in the second half of the season, McLaren cannot afford to rely solely on the gains already made. The latest Formula 1 driver standings underline the importance of maximising every opportunity as the championship enters its decisive phase.
For now, though, Andrea Stella’s conclusion is encouraging for McLaren: the team has returned from the summer break with the same competitiveness it showed in Hungary. The challenge at Zandvoort will be turning that pace into results while responding to Ferrari, Mercedes and potentially unpredictable weather.
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