Andrea Stella, the team principal of McLaren, has issued a clear warning to the squad's rivals as the 2026 Formula One season enters its second half. He expressed confidence that once McLaren builds momentum, the Woking outfit can sustain it through the remaining races. The confidence comes after a long‑awaited victory in the final Grand Prix before the summer hiatus, where reigning drivers' champion Lando Norris delivered a dominant performance in Hungary.
Norris' win narrowed the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to just 91 points, while McLaren trimmed the deficit to the Italian's Mercedes team to 159 points. To keep his title hopes alive, Norris must also overtake Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Charles Leclerc, and Ferrari remain only 72 points behind Mercedes in the constructors' standings. Although those margins are sizable, the impressive showing after a substantial upgrade package in Budapest has convinced Stella that the team can stay competitive for the next twelve rounds, beginning with the Dutch Grand Prix on August 21‑23. When asked whether McLaren could re‑enter the battle for the world titles, Stella replied, "It's a tough question, but the answer is straightforward.
If we can keep delivering the kind of performance we showed in Budapest, we still have a lot to fight for. The key is to keep developing the MCL40 and to out‑develop our rivals, who are certainly not standing still, in this ongoing race of upgrades. The outcome will depend on how effective our solutions prove on track. In the early part of the season we struggled more than we expected, but once we find momentum, we have been able to maintain it in recent years." The 2026 calendar features 22 races, with 546 points still up for grabs.
Stella reminded everyone that there are twelve races left, providing ample opportunity to close the gaps. He reflected on last year’s experience, noting that McLaren entered the summer break with a 299‑point lead in the constructors' table and Oscar Piastri leading Norris in what looked like a two‑horse duel for the drivers' crown. However, Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who was 104 points behind Piastri with nine rounds remaining, mounted a remarkable comeback and finished the season just two points shy of Norris and eleven ahead of Piastri.
Stella emphasized, "We have twelve races left, and 546 points still on offer. The gaps are large, but we learned a valuable lesson last year: if we have built a new display cabinet for recent trophies at the McLaren Technology Centre, we have a duty to keep filling it." The Hungarian upgrade package had been downplayed before the event, yet the results spoke loudly.
Norris secured pole position and then demonstrated blistering race pace to claim victory, beating Verstappen by 15 seconds. Even with a brief delay caused by teammate Piastri on the opening lap, the margin could have been even larger. Stella explained that the progress was not the result of a single breakthrough but a growing awareness of the challenges ahead and the necessary adjustments.
He added that the enforced break in April allowed the team to focus entirely on analysing the MCL40's performance, leading to a strategic redirection of development resources. "The Budapest weekend was the turning point," Stella said. "The aerodynamic package we introduced at the Hungaroring stemmed from that change in direction and has given us a significant step forward in competitiveness." Stella also praised the collaboration with engine supplier Mercedes.
Over recent months, the team has deepened its understanding of the new Mercedes High‑Performance Power Unit (HPP) and worked closely with technical partners to extract maximum performance. He acknowledged the process has been lengthy, with ups and downs, but it is now beginning to yield tangible benefits. Nevertheless, he cautioned that fine‑tuning the power unit will remain a complex task throughout the 2026 campaign. Looking ahead, the season resumes after the summer break with a Sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix.
All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, and fans can stream the coverage via NOW with no contractual commitment. McLaren will aim to build on the momentum from Budapest, continue refining the MCL40, and stay ahead of rivals in the relentless development race that defines modern Formula One.
The team’s message to competitors is clear: once McLaren finds its rhythm, it intends to keep the rhythm going, and anyone standing in its way will need to work harder than ever to keep up.