McLaren will use the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix to assess the true potential of its latest MCL40 upgrades after a strong weekend at Spa-Francorchamps suggested that the Woking team had made a meaningful step forward. The Hungaroring’s slow and medium-speed corners, heavy emphasis on chassis balance and crucial qualifying session should provide a revealing test of whether McLaren’s improved competitiveness can be sustained.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both approached the Hungarian GP cautiously during Thursday’s traditional Formula 1 media activities. Although McLaren left Belgium encouraged by one of its strongest performances of the season, neither driver was prepared to assume that the same level of performance would automatically carry over to Hungary.
McLaren MCL40 upgrades need confirmation after Spa
Thursday in the Formula 1 paddock is traditionally dedicated to the media and the press. It is the day on which drivers discuss their expectations and describe their feelings before the start of a Grand Prix weekend, in this case the Hungarian GP.
McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were among those speaking to Formula 1 ahead of the event. Both delivered relatively cautious assessments, an attitude that appears to have become almost routine throughout the paddock during the 2026 season.
McLaren arrives in Hungary with particularly positive feelings after the Belgian round. Spa-Francorchamps was probably the team’s most convincing weekend of the season alongside Miami, one of the few other events at which the papaya cars displayed a genuinely high level of competitiveness.
The Woking team has still struggled to complete the MCL40’s technical package this year. That may be partly due to the scale of the new regulations and to Mercedes keeping certain technical solutions within its works operation rather than sharing them with customer teams. The complexity of the new generation of cars has also been reflected in the battery deployment problems affecting qualifying elsewhere on the grid.
At Spa, however, McLaren finally produced a very solid weekend. That was particularly evident with Lando Norris, who was competitive from the beginning of free practice. During the second and third practice sessions, the No. 1 McLaren remained consistently behind Kimi Antonelli before Lando Norris secured third position in qualifying.
That result ultimately proved of limited value for the race because McLaren had introduced new power-unit components and exceeded the allocation permitted under the regulations. Lando Norris therefore received a ten-place grid penalty and started from 13th position, although the British driver still recovered to finish seventh.
McLaren also displayed encouraging race performance. Oscar Piastri was able to fight with the two Ferrari drivers, while Lando Norris confirmed the strength of the MCL40’s race pace by completing a significant recovery through the field.
The car was competitive not only through Spa’s fastest sections but especially in the more technical, corner-heavy part of the circuit. That was where the MCL40 demonstrated one of its most important strengths. From the opening laps, both drivers found a strong level of grip and immediate confidence in the car, suggesting that the aerodynamic configuration selected by McLaren had worked particularly well.
Why the Hungaroring will reveal the MCL40’s true potential
McLaren’s next test comes at the Hungaroring, a relatively short and highly technical circuit dominated by slow and medium-speed corners. Engine power is less influential than at many other venues, placing greater emphasis on the chassis and the car’s overall balance.
The most immediate comparison is with Monaco. Both circuits require high levels of aerodynamic downforce and make qualifying particularly important. As in the Principality, starting near the front at the Hungaroring represents an enormous advantage.
Overtaking is particularly difficult on Sunday, and the race can often develop into a long sequence of closely grouped cars with few genuine opportunities to attack. Hungary offers slightly more overtaking potential than Monaco because of its main straight, but starting position remains one of the decisive elements of the weekend.
McLaren did not perform especially well over a single lap in Monte Carlo. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri qualified behind Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen and the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. That weakness is one of the main concerns highlighted by Lando Norris before the Hungarian GP.
According to the British driver, McLaren is still struggling to extract the MCL40’s maximum potential in qualifying, particularly when attempting to recover the six or seven tenths separating the team from the leading positions. However, the latest MCL40 upgrade package appears to have produced tangible benefits.
The evidence from Spa suggested that McLaren had become more competitive over a single lap, allowing Lando Norris to move closer to the leading positions. The Hungaroring will now provide an important test of whether that progress can be repeated on a circuit where qualifying carries even greater importance.
McLaren will also face rivals who expect the characteristics of the circuit to suit their cars. Mercedes believes the W17 can challenge Ferrari at the Hungaroring, while the Ferrari SF-26’s strength in low-speed corners has also increased expectations surrounding the Italian team.
Oscar Piastri faces a more difficult 2026 season
Oscar Piastri’s situation has been different from that of his teammate. The Australian is experiencing a more complicated campaign than he did during the previous season, with the new car and the 2026 technical regulations appearing to suit his driving style less effectively.
That has resulted, at least so far, in a less impressive championship campaign than the one he produced last year. The difference between the two McLaren drivers can also be seen in the current 2026 Formula 1 drivers’ standings.
Hungary could therefore be particularly important for Oscar Piastri. The circuit’s technical nature will provide another indication of whether the MCL40’s latest developments can give him greater confidence and help him extract more performance from the car.
Lando Norris cautious over McLaren’s biggest upgrade
At the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix, Lando Norris won ahead of his teammate at the end of a weekend dominated by McLaren. However, the reigning world champion remained cautious when discussing the team’s chances of repeating that level of performance.
Lando Norris began by assessing the upgrade introduced during the previous race weekend.
“I would say this upgrade is probably the biggest of the year by quite a margin, so hopefully it will give us a step forward,” Lando Norris said. “There have been a couple of components this year that have not worked exactly as we expected or hoped, so I want to remain patient before getting too excited.”
Explaining what he hoped the new components would deliver, Lando Norris added: “More grip and a faster car, hopefully. We will wait and see. Obviously, I hope it allows us to extract more pace from the car and limit some of the current problems, or at least reduce them.”
“I am confident that we can still be fast. I think there have been many races this year in which we have been quick. Spa was probably one of the first, together with Miami, where we looked genuinely competitive and where the pace was strong even compared with the frontrunners.”
Lando Norris nevertheless identified qualifying as McLaren’s clearest remaining weakness.
“The area where we are clearly still behind is qualifying. There is no chance of suddenly recovering four or five tenths on Saturday,” he said. “I think there are things to improve on both fronts, but I really hope this package gives us a good boost.”
Oscar Piastri hopes Hungary upgrades bring McLaren closer
Oscar Piastri will give up his car to Leonardo Fornaroli during the first free-practice session. The Australian offered a similarly restrained assessment of McLaren’s prospects while discussing the team’s performance at Spa and its development process.
“I think we should be a little more competitive,” Oscar Piastri said. “We have several upgrades this weekend, so hopefully they will bring us closer to the fight at the front.”
“At Spa, especially in the race, we were probably more competitive than expected, which was a very good sign. To be honest, I cannot even remember whether I tried them in the simulator.”
“The important thing is that they make us faster. That is the only thing I care about. I would say we have a very good track record with upgrades, especially in terms of how they behave in the simulator compared with reality. Fingers crossed that they make us quicker.”
McLaren’s performance at the Hungaroring will therefore carry significance beyond the result of a single weekend. It should reveal whether the progress seen at Spa represented a circuit-specific peak or the beginning of a sustained improvement in the MCL40’s competitiveness.
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