McLaren will introduce a substantial MCL40 upgrade package at the Hungarian Grand Prix as it attempts to reduce its performance deficit to Mercedes and, at selected circuits, Ferrari. The new components will include a revised floor, further aerodynamic developments and an evolved version of the experimental flexible rear wing previously scheduled for testing in Austria.
Leonardo Fornaroli will also play an important role in evaluating the package at the Hungaroring. The Italian development and reserve driver will replace Oscar Piastri during Free Practice 1, giving him responsibility for gathering valuable data on several of McLaren’s latest technical developments.
McLaren brings major MCL40 upgrade to Hungarian GP
McLaren began the season widely expected to be one of the leading contenders after deservedly winning two world titles in 2025. The team also benefits from the Mercedes power unit, which has established itself as the performance benchmark during the opening part of the 2026 Formula 1 campaign.
However, McLaren’s results have not matched those expectations. Mercedes has won eight races and Ferrari has claimed two, while McLaren remains absent from the list of winning teams. More unexpectedly, the Woking operation has rarely been in a genuine position to fight for victory.
The team’s difficult Belgian Grand Prix further underlined the performance it still needs to recover. Lando Norris believed a podium had been possible before McLaren’s Spa race unravelled, adding urgency to the development programme before the final event ahead of the summer break.
McLaren will now make a significant technical effort at the Hungaroring by introducing a large package designed primarily for slower circuits. The objective is to increase the MCL40’s overall performance and reduce the gap to Mercedes, while also helping the team compete more consistently with Ferrari at venues where the Italian car has proved particularly effective.
New McLaren floor to be evaluated in Friday practice
The centrepiece of the Hungarian Grand Prix package will be a new floor, accompanied by several additional aerodynamic components. McLaren plans to evaluate the developments across the opening two practice sessions in Budapest, collecting real track data after completing its preliminary work in the simulator and wind tunnel at Woking.
Modern Formula 1 floors generate a substantial proportion of a car’s total downforce, making their development particularly important. Even relatively small changes to the floor edges, tunnels or diffuser interaction can influence the balance and aerodynamic consistency of the entire car.
The Hungaroring represents an appropriate venue for evaluating a package aimed at slower tracks. Its sequence of medium- and low-speed corners places a premium on usable downforce, braking confidence and traction rather than the lower-drag characteristics required at Spa-Francorchamps.
McLaren will nevertheless need to verify that the new parts perform on track as predicted by its development tools. The first two practice sessions will therefore be used not only to search for an immediate lap-time gain, but also to assess correlation between the MCL40, the simulator and the Woking wind tunnel.
McLaren prepares evolved flexible rear wing
McLaren will also test an evolved version of its experimental flexible rear wing during the opening practice session near Budapest. The concept had originally been scheduled to run during Friday practice at the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.
The design follows the flexible or rotating rear-wing solution first introduced by Ferrari and later replicated by Red Bull. The concept has attracted considerable attention after the problems experienced in Austria and at Silverstone.
Red Bull subsequently removed its version from the car at Spa-Francorchamps so that the component could be strengthened. The revised design is expected to return on the RB22 in Hungary.
The principle behind the concept is to alter the wing’s behaviour under aerodynamic load, potentially reducing drag at high speed while preserving downforce when the load decreases. However, any such design must remain within the FIA’s technical regulations and pass the governing body’s prescribed flexibility tests.
For McLaren, the FP1 experiment will provide an opportunity to assess whether the updated wing behaves consistently and offers a worthwhile performance benefit. The team will also need to understand how it interacts with the new floor and the rest of the Hungarian aerodynamic package.
Randy Singh explains the Hungaroring challenge
McLaren senior racing director Randy Singh is expecting a very different technical challenge from the one the team faced at Spa.
“Looking ahead to Hungary, we are excited to take on a completely different challenge at the Hungaroring and the final race before the summer break,” Randy Singh said. “It is a circuit that requires a high-downforce setup and rewards confidence under braking, effective corner entry and good traction, while the combination of high temperatures, rapidly following corners and few straights makes tyre management a decisive factor.”
The high number of linked corners means that a mistake or loss of balance in one section can compromise several subsequent turns. Drivers need confidence in the front axle on entry, but they must also protect rear tyre temperatures while repeatedly accelerating from slower corners.
Power-unit management will remain another priority, despite the limited number of long straights. The complexity of the 2026 engine regulations has already created significant debate, with Toto Wolff’s comments after Spa raising new questions about the FIA’s ADUO ranking.
“As always this season, we will also focus on optimising the use of the power unit throughout the lap and understanding how the revised overtaking characteristics may influence race strategy,” Randy Singh continued.
“In addition, we will bring a new upgrade package to the track this weekend and, in such a competitive season, every development is crucial. It will therefore be important to gather further data on the behaviour of these new components during the practice sessions.”
“Our objective is to maximise everything available to us, reach the summer break with positive momentum and place ourselves in the best possible position for the second half of the championship.”
Leonardo Fornaroli replaces Oscar Piastri in FP1
Leonardo Fornaroli will drive one of the two McLaren MCL40 cars during Free Practice 1 at the Hungarian Grand Prix. More precisely, the Italian will take over Oscar Piastri’s car for the opening session of the weekend.
It will be Leonardo Fornaroli’s second Formula 1 practice appearance of the season. He made his debut in FP1 at the Catalan Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where he delivered an encouraging performance.
The Hungarian session will provide another valuable opportunity for Leonardo Fornaroli to gain mileage in current Formula 1 machinery. It will also allow him to support McLaren’s assessment of the new aerodynamic components at a particularly important stage of the team’s development programme.
With several new parts being tested, Leonardo Fornaroli’s ability to provide clear and consistent feedback will be essential. McLaren will need to distinguish genuine aerodynamic improvements from changes caused by fuel load, track evolution, tyre condition or the different driving approaches of its drivers.
McLaren upgrades also designed for Zandvoort
The aerodynamic package developed at Woking is not intended exclusively for the Hungaroring. McLaren also expects the components to be useful at the first race after the summer break, the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
Like Hungary, Zandvoort places significant emphasis on aerodynamic load, cornering performance and driver confidence. The Dutch circuit’s banked corners and fast direction changes will provide another important test of whether McLaren has improved the MCL40’s performance across a wider range of conditions.
McLaren has also planned further upgrade packages for the second half of the season. The team’s objective is to recover additional tenths and gradually reduce its deficit to the current benchmark.
Mercedes has continued refining its own car throughout the campaign, including front-wing changes aimed at improving the W17’s aerodynamic efficiency. McLaren must therefore develop quickly enough not only to close the existing gap, but also to keep pace with the improvements being introduced by its main rivals.
Leonardo Fornaroli ready for key McLaren test
Leonardo Fornaroli expressed his enthusiasm about returning to the cockpit of the MCL40 and continuing the work started during his Barcelona appearance.
“I cannot wait to drive the MCL40 during the opening practice session at the Hungaroring,” said Leonardo Fornaroli, McLaren’s development and reserve driver.
“It will be another great opportunity for me to continue my development with the car and carry on the important work that began with the team in Barcelona.”
“Every session is an opportunity to learn more, gain confidence and contribute to the team’s programme prepared for this weekend. I have been extremely busy at Woking over the past few weeks preparing for this session, both in the simulator and at the Optimum Nutrition McLaren Performance Hub, to make sure I am as ready as possible.”
“I am truly grateful to everyone at McLaren for all the support they have given me so far. I cannot wait to get out on track on Friday, enjoy the experience and give everything on every lap to help the team.”
The Hungarian Grand Prix will therefore be important on several fronts for McLaren. The team must evaluate a new floor, assess its revised flexible rear wing and gather enough reliable information to decide which components should form part of the MCL40’s specification for the second half of the season.
With no victories from the opening ten races despite the strength of the Mercedes power unit, McLaren needs the package to deliver meaningful progress. Hungary will provide the first indication of whether the latest Woking developments can bring the team closer to Mercedes and Ferrari before Formula 1 enters its summer break.
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