McLaren showed encouraging signs at the Japanese Grand Prix qualifying, with Oscar Piastri in third and Lando Norris fifth, but team principal Andrea Stella doubts a podium challenge against Ferrari. Norris faced mechanical issues limiting his practice running, leaving him playing catch-up. The session highlighted the challenges of Formula 1's new 2026 regulations.
At Suzuka, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged progress in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix, the third round of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Oscar Piastri qualified third, ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in fourth, while Lando Norris took fifth and Lewis Hamilton sixth for Ferrari. Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position, six tenths ahead of Norris and four tenths clear of Piastri. Leclerc and Hamilton start fourth and sixth respectively for the Sunday race. Stella told Sky Sports F1 that the team gained from better chassis setup and, crucially, the new-generation power unit developed with Mercedes High Performance Powertrains (HPP) engineers. > There are some indications of progress from a performance and overall competitiveness point of view. I think this progress comes from the fact we are getting a little bit more out of the chassis and set-up, but mostly we are getting more out of the power unit. Stella noted Ferrari remains ahead, especially in race pace, and said he would be surprised if McLaren could fight them for a podium. > We will have a go at the podium but we know we need to improve the car, and, above all, bring some upgrades. That's the plan for the following race. Norris, the reigning champion, endured a tough weekend with a hydraulic leak in FP2 limiting him to 16 laps against Piastri's 28, followed by an electric motor replacement in FP3 where he managed only 13 laps. He described it as playing catch-up, citing limited high-fuel and continuous running on the grippier new Suzuka tarmac under the lighter chassis and more electrical power unit regulations. > I've certainly been playing catch-up the whole weekend and even for tomorrow, I've done no laps of high fuel. Norris was content with fifth but noted the gap ahead and his own areas for improvement.
