2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

[Xero]

In the meantime I think Skysports is misinformed. The latest Piastri qualifying lap they showed that he was using C4 but the color of the tyres was the yellow of the C3.

C4 is also yellow. C3 has brackets, C4 doesn't.

[McFAN]

In the meantime I think Skysports is misinformed. The latest Piastri qualifying lap they showed that he was using C4 but the color of the tyres was the yellow of the C3.

looks like it was indeed C3

[Darth-Piekus]

Isn't C4 usually red in color?

[Xero]

Isn't C4 usually red in color?

C5 is red. See my above post.

Live feed is showing correct C3 tyre for Oscar's lap.

[Darth-Piekus]

Shouldn't they just use something like orange color for C4 instead of the removal of brackets?

[Mansell89]

Feel like our car looks pretty tidy and compliant, hopefully a very good base to work from.

Despite their speed Ferrari still looks a tiny bit more of a handful.

Seems to be a calm, deliberate focus from our guys. No panic, lap times seeming to come to us now without stressing.

Still think Merc has a fair bit hidden and they’ll be the big challenge early on when everything is turned up to the max, but I think initial signs for McLaren are solid.

Just hope there is no hide and seek from the PU supplier like the 2014 days and that the customers are protected fairly.

[McFAN]

Feel like our car looks pretty tidy and compliant, hopefully a very good base to work from.

Despite their speed Ferrari still looks a tiny bit more of a handful.

Seems to be a calm, deliberate focus from our guys. No panic, lap times seeming to come to us now without stressing.

Still think Merc has a fair bit hidden and they’ll be the big challenge early on when everything is turned up to the max, but I think initial signs for McLaren are solid.

Just hope there is no hide and seek from the PU supplier like the 2014 days and that the customers are protected fairly.

The long run pace hasn't been particularly convincing so far
but you're right they do seem to able to get quick laps in quite effortlessly.

[Darth-Piekus]

I don't understand the whole thing that Mercedes is holding something back. We have the same literal engine.

[bauc]

I don't understand the whole thing that Mercedes is holding something back. We have the same literal engine.

They have more experience how to use it (PU), since it was build in-house, they have hundreds of more hours of simulation and data, where Mclaren got theirs like a few weeks before Barcelona

[willmesquita]

I am anxious for better long runs.

[Darth-Piekus]

I don't understand the whole thing that Mercedes is holding something back. We have the same literal engine.

They have more experience how to use it (PU), since it was build in-house, they have hundreds of more hours of simulation and data, where Mclaren got theirs like a few weeks before Barcelona

If I'm not mistaken that engine was build in cooperation with Mclaren. Shouldn't they have close to just as much information?

[Ground Effect]

I don't understand the whole thing that Mercedes is holding something back. We have the same literal engine.

They have more experience how to use it (PU), since it was build in-house, they have hundreds of more hours of simulation and data, where Mclaren got theirs like a few weeks before Barcelona

If I'm not mistaken that engine was build in cooperation with Mclaren. Shouldn't they have close to just as much information?

It wasn't in cooperation with McLaren though, why would you think that? No matter what arrangement they have with McLaren, every detail about the engine is known by Mercedes first, built.to their desires and preference. The only thing is they can agree to keep McLaren in the loop, but that would be after they decide. They're not going to ask permission from McLaren.

[Darth-Piekus]

Aren't the rules requiring for Mercedes to give equal engines to its customers? And by equal I mean equal in all modes and settings.

[Real PJ's Beard]

Equal engines and modes and all that, yes. That doesn't mean the engineers who build the engine have to divulge absolutely everything they know or have learned through the last 3 years of development. If they know that they might get away with an extra 5 laps of a mode in the last race of the season but it would increase temperatures, they can tell that to the engineers at Mercedes and not necessarily tell McLaren but it's a grey area

[Ground Effect]

Aren't the rules requiring for Mercedes to give equal engines to its customers? And by equal I mean equal in all modes and settings.

Yes they are, and I'm certain they do. But obviously, at this stage, they know considerably a lot more about the PU than any of their customers. Andrea Stella said that a significant amount of performance and potential can be extracted from the new 2026 power units and the management of new, complex, car-wide systems. With time, they'll learn more, but Mercedes clearly has an advantage.