McLaren has revealed renders of its 2026 Formula 1 car, the MCL40, in a one-off black and silver testing livery ahead of a private shakedown at Barcelona. The reigning champions aim to validate the new design under major regulation changes. The full race livery will debut later in Bahrain.
Formula 1's defending champions, McLaren, have unveiled digital renders of their 2026 challenger, the MCL40, featuring a temporary black and silver livery for an upcoming private shakedown test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The event, scheduled from January 26 to 30, allows teams three days of running across five to assess their new cars under revamped regulations, including smaller chassis, updated power units, and sustainable fuels.
The MCL40 sports notable design elements such as a drooped nose, ramped sidepods, and a return to push-rod front suspension. As title sponsors, Mastercard gains increased visibility on the car. McLaren, fresh off securing both the drivers' and constructors' championships in 2025—with Lando Norris clinching the drivers' crown in Abu Dhabi—enters the new era with drivers Norris and Oscar Piastri. The team will debut as the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team, following the partnership announcement in August 2025.
Team Principal Andrea Stella emphasized the scale of the redesign: "There's been so much work behind the design, the realisation, the build of the 2026 cars. What I can remember for me, it's almost unprecedented, not only in terms of the changes themselves... But even the sheer volume of redesigning that went through the last 20 months... has been probably the biggest design... that I was a part of."
Stella added that despite their success, "We are champions, but we don't carry the being champions into '26. Everyone will start from the starting blocks. Everyone will start from zero." McLaren plans to skip the first day of testing to maximize development time, focusing on a shakedown to detect issues like leaks or electronics problems rather than performance laps.
The one-off livery avoids spoiling the papaya-themed race design, set for reveal on February 9 ahead of Bahrain pre-season tests on February 11-13 and 18-20. The shakedown is closed to media and fans, with updates via McLaren's channels. This marks the first track time for Norris with the No. 1 plate and Piastri in the new machinery, helping build familiarity before the March 6-8 Australian Grand Prix opener.
