McLaren to Unveil Completely New MCL40 at Miami Grand Prix

McLaren will field a heavily revised MCL40 at the Miami Grand Prix, team principal Andrea Stella said. After a rough start to 2026 that included a double DNS in China, the team hopes the upgrades will lift it back into contention.

The package builds on the aero progress at Suzuka, where Oscar Piastri fought for victory before finishing second. Stella said the work was timed for the North‑American races, with the calendar reshuffle providing extra development days.

Why it matters:

If the new aero kit delivers the promised down‑force boost, McLaren could close the gap to Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull in the sprint to the points lead. Every lap gain now matters for the constructors’ battle.

The details:

• New front wing with larger endplates and revised barge‑board to clean up airflow.
• Revised side‑pod inlet and diffuser aim for a 5‑7% down‑force gain without extra drag.
• Updated cooling with smaller radiators frees rear‑wing area, boosting aero efficiency.

What's next:

The upgraded MCL40 will debut in Miami and then at the Canadian Grand Prix. If the car delivers the expected lap‑time gains, McLaren could fight for podiums again; even a modest step up would erase early‑season setbacks. The next two races will test who extracts the most performance from the same development window.