McLaren to debut 'completely new car' in upcoming North American races

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has confirmed the team will introduce a "completely new car" across the next two race weekends in Miami and Montréal, signaling a major upgrade push to close the gap to rivals Mercedes and Ferrari. The two-time defending constructors' champions have had a mixed start to their title defense but are banking on this aerodynamic overhaul to recover performance after a strategic, patient development period.

Why it matters:

As the reigning champions, McLaren's ability to respond to early-season challenges sets the tone for the entire championship fight. Their decision to eschew immediate, reactive upgrades in favor of a comprehensive, well-developed package for the North American leg reflects a confident, long-term strategy. This move puts pressure on all competitors, as Stella explicitly expects similar major updates from rival teams, making the upcoming races a critical benchmark for development pace.

The details:

• Team Principal Andrea Stella stated the plan was always to deliver "a completely new car, especially from an aerodynamic upgrades point of view, for the North American races."
• The revised calendar, which saw the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, provided crucial extra development time for all teams to adapt to the new 50-50 combustion-electric power unit regulations.
• Stella emphasized this is not expected to cause a dramatic "shift in the pecking order," but rather will test "who has been able to add more performance within the same timeframe."
• McLaren acknowledges a performance deficit to recover against Mercedes and, to a lesser extent, Ferrari, despite a decent showing in Japan where Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished second and fifth.
• The team studied rivals in the opening races before finalizing its upgrade path, a methodical approach Stella previewed before the season began.

What's next:

All eyes will be on the performance of the new MCL40 in Miami and, more comprehensively, in Montréal.

• Stella expressed optimism that the upgrades should yield "a slightly more competitive" car, building on the platform shown in Japan.
• The back-to-back introductions in Miami and Canada will serve as a direct, high-stakes comparison of mid-season development efficiency among the top teams.
• Success here could solidify McLaren's championship defense, while any shortfall would intensify the pressure in the season's second half.