McLaren has introduced a substantial aerodynamic upgrade package for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, featuring a completely revised front wing philosophy, changes to the rear wing and modifications to the MCL40’s floor. The Woking-based team is seeking to make its car easier to drive at the limit, while the new developments also offer an early indication of the design direction it intends to pursue for the 2027 Formula 1 season.
McLaren showed signs of a revival at Interlagos, emerging as the only leading team to introduce major technical updates during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend. The changes are intended to address the balance problems that have prevented Lando Norris and, particularly, Oscar Piastri from consistently extracting the full potential of the MCL40.
McLaren changes MCL40 front wing philosophy with major Brazil upgrade
As the first Formula 1 championship under the new technical regulations approaches its conclusion, there had been expectations that teams would gradually converge towards the most competitive aerodynamic solutions. Instead, several manufacturers are reconsidering their original design decisions and continuing to experiment with alternative concepts to establish a more stable foundation for their 2027 cars.
McLaren has now moved away from its original front wing concept, becoming the only leading team to adopt a configuration in which the nose support pylons are attached to the second flap, which now performs the structural supporting function.
Despite having just four races remaining in the 2026 championship, McLaren is refusing to accept that the MCL40 must remain a difficult car to drive at the limit. The team continues to invest in aerodynamic development, searching for a more effective balance that will allow both drivers to make better use of the car’s available performance.
How McLaren’s redesigned front wing changes aerodynamic performance
For the Interlagos weekend, the technical department led by Rob Marshall has introduced both a new front wing and a revised rear wing. The most obvious change at the front concerns the nose support pylons, which are no longer attached to the main wing element.
That main element now features a particularly short chord and a relatively straight profile, with only a small upward curl before it joins the footplate. The revised arrangement represents a significant departure from McLaren’s original aerodynamic concept.
This modification moves the aerodynamic centre of pressure slightly rearwards and has required the two movable front wing flaps to be redesigned. The second and third wing elements now have longer chord lengths, altering the overall geometry of the assembly.
The front wing endplate has also been revised. Its leading edge no longer features the previous S-shaped profile, with the change intended to increase the outwash effect and improve airflow management around the front of the car.
The objective is to generate additional downforce without introducing a corresponding increase in aerodynamic drag. This balance between aerodynamic load and efficiency is particularly important under the 2026 regulations, where teams must optimise performance across both cornering and straight-line conditions.
McLaren’s revised approach also reflects the wider development of active front wing concepts adopted by Formula 1 teams in 2026, with different manufacturers exploring alternative solutions to manage aerodynamic performance.
Rear wing, beam wing and floor changes complete McLaren’s Interlagos package
The changes introduced by McLaren are not limited to the front of the MCL40. At the rear, engineers have developed a different combination of the two movable wing flaps, designed to improve the effectiveness of the rear wing when it is opened along the straights at Interlagos.
The beam wing has also been modified to generate additional local downforce, while the floor incorporates a further update influenced by the changes introduced at the front of the car.
Together, these developments represent an attempt to improve the overall aerodynamic balance rather than simply increase peak downforce. The changes are particularly relevant to McLaren’s efforts to make the MCL40 more predictable and manageable when its drivers push towards the limit.
The Brazilian Grand Prix therefore provides an important opportunity to assess whether the revised aerodynamic package can address the difficulties experienced by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, while also providing useful information for next year’s design.
McLaren plans longer 3,400 mm wheelbase for its 2027 Formula 1 car
Beyond the immediate aerodynamic developments, McLaren is also preparing a significant change to its overall car design philosophy for 2027. One of the major compromises the team has faced this season concerns its decision to adopt the shortest wheelbase on the grid, approximately 150 millimetres shorter than the maximum permitted length.
Although this approach offered certain advantages, it has also created aerodynamic disadvantages that have proved difficult to overcome throughout the championship.
For the 2027 season, McLaren intends to move towards the maximum permitted wheelbase of 3,400 millimetres, following a design direction closer to that adopted by its rivals.
The longer wheelbase will provide a greater floor surface area, allowing the car to generate additional downforce without necessarily increasing aerodynamic drag. This is one of the key advantages McLaren hopes to exploit with its next Formula 1 challenger.
The decision to adopt a shorter car for 2026 was originally motivated by the possibility of reaching the minimum weight limit more easily. However, the aerodynamic disadvantages associated with that solution have ultimately outweighed the expected benefits.
McLaren has therefore decided to reconsider its initial approach and move towards the concepts used by its competitors. The revised front wing introduced in Brazil represents one element of that broader technical rethink, as the Woking team continues to experiment with solutions that could form the basis of its 2027 design.
With the 2026 season approaching its conclusion, the Brazilian upgrades offer McLaren an opportunity to improve the MCL40’s behaviour while gathering valuable information for the next generation of its Formula 1 car.
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