McLaren has brought a major MCL40 upgrade package to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as it attempts to close the gap to Mercedes and maintain its impressive recent momentum. The most striking change in Baku is a radical redesign of the sidepods, with the Woking team targeting lower drag and a stronger downwash effect as it continues developing its 2026 Formula 1 car.
McLaren enters the weekend with considerable expectations after its excellent performances over the previous four races. With the exception of Monza, the MCL40 could have collected three victories from four Grands Prix had the team not missed out on the win in Madrid following the controversial circumstances surrounding the use of the Virtual Safety Car. That incident also intensified the wider debate around the Formula 1 VSC regulations after the Madrid Grand Prix.
The MCL40’s late but substantial increase in competitiveness has not been enough to satisfy the ambitions of the technical group led by Andrea Stella. McLaren therefore arrives in Baku with a substantial development package that the Italian engineer had already previewed several weeks ago.
McLaren MCL40 Baku upgrades revolutionise the sidepods
Alongside the return of McLaren’s own version of the rotating rear-wing concept, one of the most significant changes concerns the aerodynamics of the sidepods, which have now been extensively redesigned.
The reduction in the size of the inlet feeding air towards the cooling radiators is immediately noticeable. The entire outer section of the opening has been closed off while the overall dimensions of the sidepod have effectively been maintained, resulting in a more squared-off inlet.
What remains beside the air intake is a concave surface directed both outwards and downwards, designed to exert a strong influence on the airflow through that area of the car.
McLaren’s engineers are clearly searching for reduced aerodynamic drag, one of the MCL40’s weaknesses, by decreasing the size of the side openings. Straight-line efficiency has been an important development area for the reigning champions as they continue trying to extract more performance from the car.
McLaren targets stronger downwash and lower drag
The team is also seeking a pronounced downwash effect, similar to concepts pursued during the previous regulatory cycle. The objective is for that airflow behaviour to work in synergy with the new floor that has already been introduced over recent races.
That development direction forms part of McLaren’s broader attempt to turn its recent progress into a sustained challenge to Mercedes. The Woking team has continued to push with upgrades while its main rival has been more selective with development, with Toto Wolff previously acknowledging that Mercedes had fallen behind in the timing of its W17 upgrades.
McLaren sidepods take inspiration from Audi, Mercedes and Ferrari
While the front section of the new McLaren sidepods bears some resemblance to the concept introduced by Audi, the rearward section has also been redesigned. McLaren has moved away from the previous profile, which featured a single, continuously downward-curving surface.
Instead, the new geometry takes significant inspiration from solutions already seen on Mercedes and Ferrari, while distinguishing itself with a much more sinuous shape across the upper section of the bodywork.
The combination effectively brings together ideas already visible elsewhere on the 2026 Formula 1 grid while adapting them to the aerodynamic requirements of the MCL40. It represents another substantial step in the development of a car that has become increasingly competitive since the middle of the season.
McLaren hopes Baku package can challenge Mercedes for more wins
These are only the changes visible during the opening day of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. It remains possible that McLaren’s Baku package is considerably more extensive than the components immediately apparent on the outside of the car.
If the new aerodynamic solutions perform as intended, the MCL40 could become an even more serious challenger to Mercedes for the remaining Grand Prix victories between Baku and the end of the championship. Mercedes has nevertheless set an imposing benchmark in 2026, with the strength of the Mercedes W17 highlighted by its results throughout the season.
For McLaren, Baku will therefore provide an important first indication of whether its radical new sidepods can address the MCL40’s drag weakness without compromising the aerodynamic performance that has helped the team emerge as one of Formula 1’s strongest forces in recent races.
