2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

[mwillems]

It took 10 years of static engine regs for a mercedes customer team to finally beat them, I wouldn't be surprised at all if scenario repeats itself.

You think Merc are sandbagging and hiding pace?

[mwillems]

Sorry guys, I know this is paywalled but there are plenty of encouraging quotes to be pulled from this article as well.

This one in particular:

"There's good stuff happening in development, so I would expect that the car will be significantly improved in the coming races, especially starting from Miami, but obviously we will have to see what the rate of development is of the other teams, because all cars will be improved."

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/how- ... /10805608/

An unpaywalled version (might ask you to select fire hydrants before reading)

https://archive.is/XUjpZ

"This car that we have at the moment is a solid platform. If anything, it's slightly underdeveloped, let me say. There's nothing in the car that is not sound conceptually, it just needs to be developed further."

Ah but when I called this car a little basic compared to its rivals I was flogged for my opinion

It's the third fastest car

Hardly basic, just not as developed as the Ferrari and Merc, but we also know that in a small part that is intentional, due to resource usage plans.

[SilviuAgo]

Almost half than Aston. Shocking

[FittingMechanics]

Almost half than Aston. Shocking

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HDhUv4QXUAA ... name=large

On the other hand, McLaren completed 100% laps of races that they started

[Slahinki]

And those 58 laps is Lando in Melbourne. Pretty grim start to the season, but at least the only way is up.

[Macklaren]

Sorry guys, I know this is paywalled but there are plenty of encouraging quotes to be pulled from this article as well.

This one in particular:

"There's good stuff happening in development, so I would expect that the car will be significantly improved in the coming races, especially starting from Miami, but obviously we will have to see what the rate of development is of the other teams, because all cars will be improved."

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/how- ... /10805608/

this was a very good read. I'm very excited for Miami and the double race cancellation prevents us from falling further behind before then

[emp]

As I said, if the rules are flawed and someone gets an advantage it will be exactly what happened in every regulatory cycle. They will issue a technical directive or something and the loophole will be closed, but not without evidence and certainly not because someone on the internet is thinking that.

As I've said, the FIA is not there to do things without reasonable evidence and certainly and they have without doubt a lot of flaws.

I don't know what they could do here or what they could've done better considering that they have no evidence at the moment.

"Define a 'geometric compression ratio test' by themselves, using a fluid/gas as the displacement object, instead of asking teams how they want the CR to be measured"
- for starters.
an actual test defined by the governing body, instead of gymnastics with words about re-definition, temperature etc. Every PU manufacturer has to submit their engines and FIA will decide whether it passes the test or not. It's only geometric CR, all they need is an engine on a bench (no sensor info, no dyno, no temperature checking, nothing) and a fluid/gas pumping mechanism of their own. The engine need not run at all. How hard can it be ?

So they may be accused of incompetence, not of some big conspiracy against all the others, which is where the discussion started from.

Cheers.

[vorticism]

McLaren probably wishing they would’ve had a Christian Horner who would have started up an RBPT analogue.

[venkyhere]

As I said, if the rules are flawed and someone gets an advantage it will be exactly what happened in every regulatory cycle. They will issue a technical directive or something and the loophole will be closed, but not without evidence and certainly not because someone on the internet is thinking that.

As I've said, the FIA is not there to do things without reasonable evidence and certainly and they have without doubt a lot of flaws.

I don't know what they could do here or what they could've done better considering that they have no evidence at the moment.

"Define a 'geometric compression ratio test' by themselves, using a fluid/gas as the displacement object, instead of asking teams how they want the CR to be measured"
- for starters.
an actual test defined by the governing body, instead of gymnastics with words about re-definition, temperature etc. Every PU manufacturer has to submit their engines and FIA will decide whether it passes the test or not. It's only geometric CR, all they need is an engine on a bench (no sensor info, no dyno, no temperature checking, nothing) and a fluid/gas pumping mechanism of their own. The engine need not run at all. How hard can it be ?

So they may be accused of incompetence, not of some big conspiracy against all the others, which is where the discussion started from.

Cheers.

'planned incompetence' is the allegation. It's incomprehensible to me, that a body who can define the entire formula, cannot define a 'legality test' for something simple like 'geometric compression ratio' and sneak in a temperature clause 3 months before the formula applies. Thermal expansion(s) affecting the GCR is low level basic knowledge as far as internal combustion engines are concerned, I am staggered that FIA dont have 'their own method' to ensure this 'thermal expansion excuse' isn't taken undue advantage of by, an engine manufacturer.

[CjC]

The discussion started from the fact that Mercedes dumped the final spec PU on McLaren’s work bench on the eve of the new season.

Cheers.

[CjC]

Sorry guys, I know this is paywalled but there are plenty of encouraging quotes to be pulled from this article as well.

This one in particular:

"There's good stuff happening in development, so I would expect that the car will be significantly improved in the coming races, especially starting from Miami, but obviously we will have to see what the rate of development is of the other teams, because all cars will be improved."

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/how- ... /10805608/

this was a very good read. I'm very excited for Miami and the double race cancellation prevents us from falling further behind before then

I’m looking forward to anything Mclaren can throw at it, however I have caution, for example supposedly Vasseur has mentioned due to the fact the early Middle Eastern races have been cancelled Ferrari can possibly focus on bringing 1 whole package and another half of one to Miami alone.

[Macklaren]

If this (taken from the RBR thread) is true, I'm very surprised that McLaren is talking up a weight reduction opportunity as much as they are

[Balalu]

Known weights of cars (from Reddit)

MCL40 - 697.5+82 (driver minimum weight) = 779.5 kg

SF-26 - 698.5+82 = 780.5 kg

RB22 - 716.5+82 = 798.5 kg

A526 -696.5+82 = 778.5 kg


McLaren, Ferrari and Alpine are similair in weight, while RedBull are almost 3 times as much overweight compared to the McLaren, so they have much more to gain from weight reduction.

I am mentioning this as I don't think McLaren reducing weight is the magic bullet some here are making it to be.

Can't find any info on Mercedes' weight.

[Balalu]

If this (taken from the RBR thread) is true, I'm very surprised that McLaren is talking up a weight reduction opportunity as much as they are

You beat me to it

[Emag]

So basically, a load of bs

They might have been overweight in Bahrain, but they mentioned parts in Australia coming to rectify that. I don’t know if they have mentioned it beyond that but it would be pretty hilarious if they did. Not sure what purpose it serves to lie about it.