McLaren team principal Andrea Stella announced that the team will deliver an entirely new version of its MCL40 car for the Miami Grand Prix and Canada. The upgrade focuses on aerodynamic improvements for North American races. Stella expects rivals to introduce similar changes.
At a special media event at McLaren's Woking factory, Andrea Stella described the upcoming MCL40 as a 'completely new car,' particularly in aerodynamics. 'In our intent there was always the idea to deliver a completely new car,' Stella said. The cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix streamlined development, allowing teams to focus on upgrades rather than racing, he added. Stella anticipates no major shift in the championship order, as competitors like Mercedes and Ferrari will likely recover performance similarly. McLaren's recent Japan Grand Prix showing was 'decently competitive,' building optimism for Miami and Canada, where Japan was already solid. Stella noted the team has background development to close gaps to Mercedes and Ferrari. Chief technical officer Rob Marshall explained McLaren's approach to rivals' designs. 'We look at everything,' Marshall said, adding that teams analyze opposition solutions through wind tunnel, CFD, or thought experiments. While copying does not always work due to car-specific architectures, Marshall recalled successes like double diffusers. Marshall stressed understanding rivals' intentions to develop inspired improvements faster. The 2026 regulations, with active aerodynamics and new power units, have steepened the learning curve, especially transitions between straightline and cornering modes affecting balance and ride height.
