2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

[SilviuAgo]

Here we go again. The long list for Lando's issues puts on another track.
Gearbox change for Lando. Let's hope he will have some minutes in FP2. Otherwise, we can move to Baku already.

[crapu7]

Though luck for Norris, he will miss fp2 with the gearbox issue. On a new track every lap is crucial and he will struggle to catch up.

[CjC]

Here we go again. The long list for Lando's issues puts on another track.
Gearbox change for Lando. Let's hope he will have some minutes in FP2. Otherwise, we can move to Baku already.

I can’t imagine Baku will be kind to Mclaren either unless they bring another large update.

[SilviuAgo]

Here we go again. The long list for Lando's issues puts on another track.
Gearbox change for Lando. Let's hope he will have some minutes in FP2. Otherwise, we can move to Baku already.

I can’t imagine Baku will be kind to Mclaren either unless they bring another large update.

According to Stella next big upgrade package is scheduled for Baku.

[SilviuAgo]

Some one calculated this:

in 31 practice sessions so far this season, there have only been four instances where a driver from the top 4 teams got less than 10 laps in the session (4 times in 248 unique sessions)
ALL FOUR of these instances were mechanical issues on lando's car.

Unbelievable low reliability for McLaren this year. Cause not only on Lando's car were issues. Also Oscar had plenty (and it’s not the first time Lando has gearbox issues, also Piastri dnf in Hungary for it. Gearbox that it’s produced by McLaren).

PS: Half a season in 2026 and this is insane for the "back to back world champions". And is only the list for Lando.

[CjC]

No laps for Norris. That is not good news.
Did someone already point out earlier in the season that when Lando doesn’t compete in FP2 the team struggle come Sunday?

[Macklaren]

Was PIA race pace really 1.6s behind the Mercs?

[CjC]

Odd. Mclaren look fundamentally off the pace, there’s a lot of work to do

[Macklaren]

I'm very confident that we were not pushing at all. Esp since one car sat out FP2. PIA did not have too many complaints in that session

[SilviuAgo]

Was PIA race pace really 1.6s behind the Mercs?

Not sure there's much to take from what was one of the most strange FP2 long runs of the year




Stella said some races ago that Piastri missing around 20 minutes could have cost 1–2 tenths. since the software is constantly learning and optimizing from every run. So to expect in Quali/Race Lando to be +0.6 vs Oscar?

[Macklaren]

Stella said some races ago that Piastri missing around 20 minutes could have cost 1–2 tenths. since the software is constantly learning and optimizing from every run. So to expect in Quali/Race Lando to be +0.6 vs Oscar?

Can they not transfer the algo from Oscar's car into Lando's? or is it very different accounting for driving style?

There seem to be several passing opportunities here despite the tight track so I expect Lando will maximize race pace in FP3

[arunn]

They now start to do also PR (paid) articles to praised Oscar?
https://www.pitdebrief.com/post/stella- ... um=bluesky

Ever since his rookie season in 2023, the 25-year-old has struggled on low grip surfaces in the main. While he has improved on the tyre management side, the driver from Melbourne has still had struggles in adapting to the machinery underneath him when it is tricky to drive. The rear of the MCL40 in particular has been a weakness in 2026.

Nonetheless, Monza was a step forward. He outqualified his World Champion teammate and was P3, before a grid penalty for impeding Liam Lawson dropped him to 6th on the grid. Piastri was still two spots ahead of Norris, nonetheless.

Stella is confident the performance shown by Piastri at the F1 Italian GP will be a regular theme across the rest of 2026.

“So very happy, very pleased with the progress that Oscar is making. I think he will have a very strong second half of the season.”

Of course he's going to back his driver and help him find confidence. What else was he going to do? It's not Stella's style to publicly berate and if it were, not every driver will react well to it and so it still might not happen.

Dear lord, it's just normal man management.

Really ??.. public berating isn't his style ?? .. and let's have a look at his "man management" because it seems a bit skewed in one direction.

Stella seemed to have zero problem getting Will to publicly berate Lando over the radio in Hungary. Contrast that with his reaction after Monza 2024, when Oscar almost took both of them out and gifted Charles a win at Monza. He stood up and publicly said that Oscar was the future. Defending his boy, a trait he loves. Stella seemed to have to have no problem letting everyone know that Lando now had "repercussions" after a wheel bang in Singapore, and ones that didn't just punish Lando but were also designed to gave Oscar an advantage. Then Oscar takes out both cars in Austin and Stella's response is "Okay, we'll just not punish Lando anymore". Because god forbid Oscar "the future" Piastri gets held to account. What kind of man management is punishing one drive after a wheel bang, but not the other for taking out both ?? .. as someone posted above, that smirk at Zandvoort spoke volumes. Or Miami this year when, after Lando won the sprint, Stella says that whoever was on pole would have won that race. Hardly damning praise of your driver that. When Lando won the title Stella stated in the interview while Lando was still on the podium that Oscar would be a multiple Champion. Actually he was right there, it was just on Grill the Grid and not a drivers title. That was his thoughts after Lando won McLaren's first drivers title since 2008 .. "But Oscar will be better". When Lando extended his contract Stella even used that to talk about Oscar. Maybe the reason Lando stood up in Canada and took the blame was because he knew Stella was going to make sure he did.

A bind man in a snowstorm can see where Stella's loyalties lie. And why Oscar can feel confident in "going off" when it's his time to return the tow.

I served in the military as an aircrew officer. Outside of flying I had secondary duties, one was for the welfare of my ground crew. They all got treated the same. Whether it was good or bad. And they knew it. If I had treated any different to the others then I would have lost their respect. I fly business jets now. I flew a lot of F1 charters with a previous company and have chatted to some familiar names in the sport. I asked one, after Singapore and the "repercussions" drivel, if they thought Stella was not that keen on Lando. The guy just smiled and while nodding his head up and down said "You may think that, I couldn't possibly comment." So people in the sport have noticed.

I spent twelve years on fighter squadrons, if you think F1 is cut throat, try these guys. You learn to spot the snakes.

Hilarious rant. Peak arrogance.I Remember when team order champion at the start of the season in every interview saying they don't have the fastest car, i wonder if that project failed and they made another gp2 engine he would've stayed with the team.

[Macklaren]

BTW the McLaren store is offering an extra 5% off merch for every podium for the rest of 2026. wonder if they need to clear out merch or think its a safe bet
Hope this doesn't turn out like the Oscar burger promotion last year....

[CjC]

As I thought, lacking pace:

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... 9KuY4GPVcC

[CjC]

Ah- the dreaded graining:

“In the race running, it's been a nightmare to try and manage the tyres with graining," Piastri explained. "So, a lot of corners have been very difficult, but it's been an interesting day. I think we are struggling a little bit for pace, but hopefully we can find a bit more tomorrow.
"It is normally the case that it gets better through the weekend, but we'll have to wait and see how much better. So, at the moment I'm not sure. I think also for us it's worse than for some others, which is not a great thing obviously. In terms of setup, there's a few things you can do, but not a huge amount unfortunately. So, we'll see what we get."

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/what- ... /10854706/

Graining seems to be that one weakness Mclaren havent been able to shake off no matter the rule set.