McLaren Aims to Defend F1 Titles in 2026

After sweeping both the Drivers' and Constructors' F1 titles in 2025, McLaren believes starting from zero is the key to defending them.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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McLaren has been the success story of the last Formula 1 regulatory cycle, winning back-to-back Constructors' Championships and a Drivers' Championship for Lando Norris in 2025. Now the team is focused on defending those titles in 2026 by taking a fresh approach and not resting on their laurels.

Why it matters

McLaren's recent dominance has been a remarkable turnaround from their midfield struggles just a few years ago. Defending their titles will be a new challenge, as the team must prove they can remain at the top of the sport under a new set of regulations.

The details

McLaren began work on their 2026 car, the MCL40, as early as 2024 when the new regulations were still in development. The team decided to shift focus to the new car earlier than usual, even if it meant diverting some resources away from the 2025 challenger. McLaren believes this early start will pay off, as the MCL40 is already close to its final configuration ahead of the new season.

  • McLaren began research and development on the MCL40 in early 2024 when the 2026 regulations were still being finalized.
  • The team shifted focus to the new car in mid-2025, potentially contributing to a late-season resurgence from Red Bull.

The players

Andrea Stella

McLaren Team Principal who says the team is not carrying over its 2025 championship success into 2026, and that everyone will start from zero.

Rob Marshall

McLaren's Chief Designer who explains the team's approach of deeply understanding the new MCL40 platform before introducing major upgrades.

Lando Norris

The reigning F1 Drivers' World Champion who says his title win has not diminished his hunger to succeed again in 2026.

Oscar Piastri

Norris' teammate who finished third in the 2025 championship and is looking to learn from his experiences to mount a stronger title challenge.

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What they’re saying

“We are champions, but we don't carry being champions into 2026. Everyone will start from the starting blocks. Everyone will start from zero. You know, like our internal narrative is anything we will achieve, we will have to deserve it.”

— Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal (autoweek.com)

“We really are going to have to be very focused on getting our heads around this car. It's very complicated. It's all new. There's a lot of stuff that we need to dial in and tune in. So I think bringing a lot of new stuff to it, early doors, would complicate stuff. I think we're better off understanding our platform before we get too keen on redesigning it before it's turned a wheel.”

— Rob Marshall, McLaren Chief Designer (autoweek.com)

“I still have many more wins in F1 and try and get as many more championships as possible, but if I never do, I'm still happy, I achieved one. I don't feel any different coming into this season, I just want to go out and win, there's just my baseline feeling is that, I think it's more at the end of the day if I don't achieve something again I always have something I'm very proud about, but it hasn't taken away any motivation or desire to do it again.”

— Lando Norris (autoweek.com)

What’s next

The team will continue to refine the MCL40 ahead of the 2026 season, with a focus on understanding the new car's capabilities before introducing major upgrades.

The takeaway

McLaren's approach of starting fresh and not resting on their laurels shows a team determined to remain at the top of Formula 1. Their early work on the 2026 car and commitment to a collaborative, supportive environment with their drivers suggests they are well-positioned to defend their titles, even in the face of a new regulatory era.