In Formula 1, it does not take much to slip out of the spotlight. After dominating headlines throughout 2025, McLaren needed just two difficult race weekends to fall off the radar. However, recent history shows that the Woking-based team has made mid-season development a defining strength, as seen in Spielberg in 2023 and again the following year at the Miami Grand Prix.
Just two weeks after the disastrous Shanghai weekend, where both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were unable to start due to technical issues, McLaren returned to form by topping the first day of practice at Suzuka. Speaking during the traditional Friday press conference, team principal Andrea Stella clarified the root causes behind the problems encountered in China.
“We understood the cause of the issues. In both cases, the critical area was the electrical side of the power unit. These were battery-related problems, different in nature but occurring almost at the same time during the weekend, which is quite an unusual event. We worked together with HPP to fully understand the issue, and now the picture is clear. In Oscar’s case, we were able to reuse the same battery after carrying out some repairs, while on Lando’s car we had to install a new battery pack.”
Stella also reaffirmed his full confidence in Mercedes’ High Performance Powertrains division. “We are 100% confident that HPP has implemented all the necessary corrective measures. As a team, we are always exposed to certain risks, just like everyone else. There are no different specifications between teams.”
That said, McLaren’s Friday at Suzuka was not entirely smooth. While Oscar Piastri completed a trouble-free FP2 session and set the fastest time of the day, Lando Norris spent a long period in the garage due to a hydraulic issue. Once back on track, the British driver managed to finish fourth.
The true potential of the MCL40 remains difficult to fully assess at this stage. Oscar Piastri has only competed in the Shanghai sprint race so far, while Norris has completed just the Australian Grand Prix. This limited mileage makes it challenging to draw definitive conclusions about the car’s performance.
Nevertheless, Andrea Stella remains optimistic about the foundations of the project. “I believe the MCL40 is a platform with very high potential. At the moment, we are lacking a bit of grip, and compared to Mercedes, we are probably not yet extracting the full potential of the power unit.”
Engine management has been a key area of focus since Melbourne, where the gap to the Mercedes works team became evident. Early signs of improvement were seen in China, although reliability issues limited the evaluation, and the opening sessions at Suzuka appear to confirm that progress is being made.
“We are learning very quickly,” Stella confirmed. “We are working very well with HPP to ensure that we extract the maximum potential from everything available.”
Part of McLaren’s initial deficit can also be attributed to extremely tight development timelines. “The MCL40 was completed at the last minute, and the same applies to the power unit manufacturers. In these conditions, it is normal for a customer team to be initially at a disadvantage in managing the power unit, but we are closing the gap together with HPP engineers. There is no hidden information; the collaboration is complete. It’s simply a matter of catching up. We remain optimistic that we are close to fully exploiting the package.”
Work on the chassis side is also far from finished. “We know where to intervene to improve the car: we need updates that increase aerodynamic efficiency. We will start introducing them in the upcoming races, and from there we expect a growth trajectory. We are confident that we can return to fighting for podiums and wins.”
In this context, the break after Suzuka represents a valuable opportunity for the Woking team. “It will allow us to focus on development without distractions. The goal is to evolve the car and make it more competitive, especially from an aerodynamic perspective. In what promises to be a long season, having time to regroup and improve both operationally and technically will be crucial to returning in Miami ready to fight at the front.”
McLaren is therefore viewing their early-season reliability hurdles as a temporary setback on a high-potential platform. Based on the content of Andrea Stella’s briefing, the team expects the “real” 2026 title defense to begin in earnest once the Miami upgrade package arrives.
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