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McLaren MCL40

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McLaren MCL40
Lando Norris drives the MCL40 at the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorMcLaren
DesignerRob Marshall (Chief Designer)
PredecessorMcLaren MCL39
Technical specifications[1]
ChassisCarbon fibre composite
EngineMercedes-AMG F1 M17 E Performance
1.6 L (98 cu in) direct injection V6 turbocharged engine limited to 15,000 RPM in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive layout
Electric motorMercedes-AMG
Kinetic energy recovery system
TransmissionMcLaren 8-speed + 1 reverse sequential seamless semi-automatic transmission operated via paddle shifters.
BatteryLithium-ion battery
FuelPetronas[2]
LubricantsMotul[3]
Tyres
Competition history
Notable entrantsMcLaren Mastercard F1 Team
Notable drivers
Debut2026 Australian Grand Prix
First win2026 Hungarian Grand Prix
Last win2026 Dutch Grand Prix
Last event2026 Spanish Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
142732

The McLaren MCL40 is a Formula One car designed and built by McLaren under the direction of Rob Marshall to compete in the 2026 Formula One World Championship. It is driven by reigning world champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in their eighth and fourth seasons with the team respectively.[4] As of the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix, it has achieved two Grand Prix victories, three Grand Prix pole positions, seven Grand Prix podiums, two Grand Prix fastest laps, one sprint pole position, one sprint win, five sprint podiums and two sprint fastest laps.

Background

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Development context

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Significant changes to the technical regulations were introduced for 2026, affecting both the chassis and power unit. In general, these changes simplified the power unit and increased the share of energy generated by the electric motor compared to the combustion engine, as well as reducing the overall size and weight of the car and reducing the amount of downforce aerodynamic surfaces can generate.[citation needed]

Mercedes AMG HPP, McLaren's engine supplier since 2021, was subject to scrutiny over the winter break as it emerged their engine exploited a measurement loophole in the power unit regulations. The compression ratio of the combustion engine was restricted in the 2026 regulations, which would reduce the amount of power the engine could produce. However, the compression ratio was measured by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) at ambient temperatures. Mercedes was able to find a manufacturing technique that would allow the compression ratio to expand when the engine was hot, allowing it to produce more power while still complying with the FIA test.[5]

Auction

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Unusually, McLaren auctioned the rights to an MCL40 with RM Sotheby's before the season began.[6][7] The car sold for US$11,480,000. Its owner will be able to select which driver's chassis to receive, and it will be delivered in a running condition in 2028.[8]

Livery

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The MCL40 used a one-off black and silver geometric livery for the private pre-season test at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.[9] The MCL40 livery is similar to the MCL39, featuring more orange on the engine cover and front wing to comply with the new livery regulation and introduced a dark green airbox and mirrors for sponsor Allwyn Entertainment.[10][11] This maintained McLaren's practice of retaining the livery of a successful car for the following season.[12] As with all McLaren cars since the MCL35, the car's livery is applied with vinyl wrap rather than paint.[13]

Special liveries

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  • At the Monaco and Barcelona-Catalunya Grands Prix, McLaren raced a special livery to celebrate its 1,000th Grand Prix. The livery consists of a bespoke metallic papaya orange and anthracite livery and features the numbers 0001 and 1000 adorning the sidepods. The livery also contain details recognising the team's history (such as the Bruce McLaren Motor Racing logo on the base of halo) and important milestones (such as the race dates of the first and 1,000th Grand Prix above the numbers 0001 and 1000, respectively).[14][15]
  • For the British Grand Prix, McLaren collaborated with Google Gemini to launch a special livery based on the M2B to celebrate the team's beginnings.[16]
  • For the Italian and Spanish Grands Prix, McLaren will feature an "enhanced" OKX livery.[17]

Initial design and early development

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Initial work on the car began in 2024.[1] Chief designer Rob Marshall stated that McLaren would not deliver any significant changes to the car between the private test and the opening round of the season. Marshall stated McLaren's priority would be understanding how the 2026 regulation cars worked before pursuing performance improvements.[18] Marshall identified packaging for radiators and electrical boxes as a particular challenge given the reduced size of the car.[19]

Competition and development history

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Opening rounds

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Piastri qualified fifth and Norris sixth for the Australian Grand Prix.[20] Piastri did not start the Grand Prix after crashing on a reconnaissance lap, which he said was caused by "a large element of [him]", but also the energy deployment rules of the electric motor unexpectedly delivering 100 kW (130 hp) more power than expected.[21] Norris finished fifth after battling with Max Verstappen.[22]

After finishing the sprint fourth and sixth in China, neither driver started the race due to power unit issues. This was the team's first double non-start since the 2005 United States Grand Prix.[23]

At the Japanese Grand Prix, Piastri qualified third and Norris fifth. Piastri took the race lead at the start; he opted to change tyres on lap 18 to avoid the risk of Charles Leclerc undercutting him, though lost his advantage during a safety car period.[24] Piastri finished second, and Norris fifth.[25]

The MCL40 was used in a two-day tyre test in April for sole supplier Pirelli at the Nürburgring. Piastri completed 66 laps and Norris 108.[26]. In that same period, the originally scheduled April dates of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were called off due to the impact of the 2026 Iran war.[24] Stella announced that "an entirely new MCL40" would be introduced over the two North American races following the break.[27]

After the hiatus, McLaren took advantage with their upgrades in the 2026 Miami Grand Prix and thus, claiming Norris a sprint pole and a sprint win. In the main race, both Norris and Piastri finished 2nd and 3rd respectively, just behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, with the former having his first podium as defending champion.

Mid-season rounds

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For a special commemoration of reaching 1000 Grands Prix, the MCL40 had a special livery for Monaco, making McLaren the second team to reach that milestone since Ferrari in the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix. After starting 7th and 8th, the team had a bittersweet race with Lando retiring for the second consecutive time due to a battery related issue as Piastri bags 5th place, originally 4th before Gasly's podium was overturned.

Complete Formula One results

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Key
Key
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenOther points position
Blue Other classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
PurpleNot classified, retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Did not enter (empty cell)
Annotation Meaning
P Pole position
F Fastest lap
Superscript
number		 Points-scoring position
in sprint
Year Entrant Engine Tyres Drivers Grands Prix Points WCC
AUS CHN JPN MIA CAN MON BCN AUT GBR BEL HUN NED ITA ESP AZE BHR SIN USA MXC SAP LVG QAT ABU
2026 McLaren F1 Team Mercedes-AMG P United Kingdom Lando Norris 5 DNS4 Race: DNS; Sprint: 4 5 21 F Ret2 Race: Ret; Sprint: 2 Ret 3 7 43 Race: 4; Sprint: 3 7F 1P 13 P 4 3P 306* 3rd*
Australia Oscar Piastri DNS DNS6 Race: DNS; Sprint: 6 2 32 Race: 3; Sprint: 2 114 Race: 11; Sprint: 4 4 5 4 117 Race: 11; Sprint: 7 5 Ret 65 Race: 6; Sprint: 5 5 8
Source:

* Season still in progress.

References

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  1. 1 2 "The MCL40 is here: Behind the design and what to expect from McLaren Mastercard's 2026 challenger". McLaren. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  2. ↑ "PETRONAS Trackside Fluid Engineers Fuelling Formula One's Innovation". Petronas. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  3. ↑ "McLaren Racing announces Motul as an Official Supplier of the McLaren Formula 1 Team". Motul. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
  4. ↑ "The 2026 F1 grid: Every confirmed driver". The Race. 2 December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  5. ↑ Cleeren, Filip (9 February 2026). "Compression ratio saga "typical politics of F1", says McLaren's Zak Brown". Motorsport.com Australia. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  6. ↑ Baldwin, Alan (14 August 2025). Ferris, Ken (ed.). "McLaren to auction 2026 F1 car before it has been raced". Reuters. Archived from the original on 14 August 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  7. ↑ "2026 McLaren Formula 1 Team MCL40A". RM Sotheby's. 19 November 2025. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  8. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (6 December 2025). "McLaren raises $19.9 million with 'Triple Crown' auction in Abu Dhabi". RACER. Irvine. ISSN 1066-6060. Archived from the original on 6 December 2025. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  9. ↑ Boxall-Legge, Jake (26 January 2026). "McLaren reveals renders of new MCL40 F1 car". Autosport. Motorsport Network.
  10. ↑ "McLaren MCL40 launch: World champions reveal familiar livery for Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri in 2026 F1 season". Sky Sports F1. 9 February 2026. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  11. ↑ Baldwin, Alan (15 November 2025). "F1 commission agrees new livery rules for teams". Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 December 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "MCL40 launch". McLaren. Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  13. ↑ "What is this week's F1 Shakedown in Spain, and why are McLaren Mastercard running a one-off livery?". McLaren. 26 January 2026. Archived from the original on 1 February 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  14. ↑ Cleeren, Filip (1 June 2026). "McLaren celebrates 1000th F1 GP in Monaco with special livery". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  15. ↑ Medland, Chris (1 June 2026). "McLaren preparing to mark its 1000th GP in Monaco". RACER. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  16. ↑ Hardy, Ed (1 July 2026). "McLaren launches Google Gemini livery for F1 British GP". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  17. ↑ "McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team to run special livery enhancement with OKX". McLaren. 1 September 2026. Retrieved 1 September 2026.
  18. ↑ Noble, Jon; Straw, Edd (22 January 2026). "McLaren's 2026 upgrade strategy is very different to rivals'". The Race. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  19. ↑ Cleeren, Filip (10 February 2026). "McLaren pinpoints "brutal" hidden design challenges of 2026 F1 rules". Motorsport.com Australia. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  20. ↑ Vinel, Ben (14 March 2026). "F1 Australian GP: George Russell takes pole by 0.3s as Max Verstappen crashes out". Motorsport.com Australia. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  21. ↑ Kirby, Aaron (9 March 2026). "Homeboy Piastri all torque and no action". Sport. The West Australian. Perth: Southern Cross Media Group. p. 46. ISSN 0312-6323.
  22. ↑ Suttil, Josh (8 March 2026). "Mercedes 1-2 in F1 2026 opener after early Ferrari tussle". The Race. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  23. ↑ "McLaren launches Mercedes investigation after double Chinese GP disaster". ESPN. Associated Press. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  24. 1 2 "McLaren reboots". Sports. The West Australian. Perth: Southern Cross Media Group. 25 April 2026. p. 110. ISSN 0312-6323.
  25. ↑ "Antonelli takes championship lead after surging to victory in Japan from Piastri and Leclerc". Formula1.com. 29 March 2026. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  26. ↑ Nichol, Jake (16 April 2026). "Mercedes 'beat' McLaren as special F1 test concludes". RacingNews365. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  27. ↑ Williams, Rebecca (25 April 2026). "McLaren to replace its cars for Miami GP". Sports. The Australian. No. 19492 (1st ed.). Sydney: News Corp Australia. p. 41. ISSN 1038-8761.
[edit]
  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to the McLaren MCL40 at Wikimedia Commons
  • McLaren official website
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