The reigning world champions have revolutionized the front suspension for aerodynamic purposes, in an area where they had already set the benchmark
The McLaren MCL40 has finally made its on-track debut, immediately becoming one of the most talked-about cars in the paddock. The technical triumvirate formed by Peter Prodromou, Rob Marshall and Neil Houldey has completely reworked the front suspension of the papaya-colored car, rendering previous solutions obsolete. Ironically, those earlier concepts had meanwhile been copied by rivals, including Ferrari. At Woking, there is now great anticipation to verify the true competitiveness of a project that is as innovative as it is risky, further powered by the Mercedes power unit.
The new front end
The most eye-catching feature of the new McLaren is undoubtedly its front suspension, which abandons the pull-rod layout used over the past four years in favor of a push-rod solution. This configuration is considered aerodynamically better suited to the new regulations and to the philosophy chosen for the front wing. However, this change almost takes a back seat compared to the arrangement of the surrounding elements.
The upper wishbone is once again extremely inclined, lowering its rearward element in order to guide airflow toward the floor and the radiator inlets. The MCL40 goes even further, as there is an additional element attached to the chassis in an even more rearward and lower position. This is the rear lower wishbone, which has been extended as much as possible toward the floor.
To make this solution feasible, the team had to connect the same element to the wheel hub at the push-rod attachment point. This creates a significant misalignment, both in height and in longitudinal positioning, compared to the two forward elements. There is even the suspicion that the steering arm may be the lowest of the two. Although the images of the MCL40 are of limited resolution, they confirm what was already seen in the launch renders: a multi-link suspension where the lower element stretches rearward almost to the leading edge of the floor.
A risky choice
The impression is that McLaren has tried to extract the maximum potential from regulations that have reduced the wheelbase from 3,600 to 3,400 millimeters, bringing the front and rear wheels 20 centimeters closer together. As a result, the front axle sits closer to the center of the car. While this complicates the management of wheel turbulence, it also creates new opportunities to use the suspension arms to guide airflow coming from the front of the car.
The world champions have taken full advantage of this, extending the rearward suspension arm as much as possible, almost reaching the leading edge of the floor. McLaren is a team that dares more than others in this area, having been the first in 2024 to devise an alternative steering position, which was then rethought again for 2025.
The Ferrari SF-26 adopted precisely this distinctive solution from the world championship-winning MCL39, but now the MCL40 once again changes the rules of the game. From a dynamic perspective, this is an extremely bold solution, as it requires finding a way not to excessively compromise suspension movement. From a design standpoint, it is equally daring. Designing a chassis capable of accommodating such a unique front suspension layout cannot have been easy, especially in a year when the FIA has tightened crash test requirements.
Driver feedback will also be crucial, particularly from Lando Norris, who last season struggled to clearly feel the behavior of the front wheels.
Front aerodynamics
According to McLaren management themselves, the aerodynamic configuration of the MCL40 is very close to the version that will contest the Australian Grand Prix. This differs from Ferrari, which is expected to introduce several updates in the coming weeks. The papaya-colored car features a heavily loaded front wing at the outer sections, aimed at precisely shaping airflow that then interacts with the suspension.
On the outside of the endplate fences, two additional flaps can be seen, similar to those already observed on other cars, with the purpose of mitigating harmful wheel turbulence. Like Red Bull, McLaren has also chosen to keep the brake duct inlets outside the carbon protection structure, with a duct design that differs significantly from that used in 2025.
The debut of the MCL40 also allows for an initial direct comparison with its main rivals. To date, Mercedes is the only team to have mounted the nose supports on the second wing profile, limiting active aerodynamic movement on the straights to the final flap only. McLaren’s front wing, on the other hand, features the most pronounced spoon-shaped profile of all, generating high load at the outer edges. Red Bull provides a clear contrast, having opted for a nearly straight main plane design.
These differences highlight how the top teams are interpreting front aerodynamics in very distinct ways, given that the front wing dictates the entire airflow structure that interacts with the rest of the car.
Packaging
The new McLaren also stands out for its cooling system choices, an area where the Woking-based team set the benchmark in 2025. The air scoop above the driver maintains the oval shape seen on the MCL39, indicating that some radiators are positioned at the front of the power unit. The side inlets, however, appear more compressed, abandoning the P-shaped design of the previous project.
Further images will be needed to properly analyze the floor and sidepod geometries. Based on the renders, they appear to follow the downwashed sidepod concept, designed to channel airflow from the upper bodywork toward the gearbox area.
Even though only the front section has been seen in detail, the MCL40 already impresses with its level of innovation across several areas. Innovation alone, however, is never a guarantee of success. There are countless variables at play, and rivals have also unveiled interesting solutions. Moreover, it is impossible to judge the quality of a project simply by looking at it.
Nevertheless, regardless of its ultimate competitiveness, McLaren once again demonstrates why it became world champion, showcasing creativity and engineering courage, even at the risk of making mistakes. Much has been said about the presumed superiority of the Mercedes power unit, but even if that advantage is confirmed, it will not be easy for the factory team to wrest the title away from McLaren.
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