Andrea Stella, the team principal of McLaren, has sent a clear warning to the other contenders for the balance of the 2026 Formula One campaign, underscoring his belief that the Woking outfit can sustain the pace it has finally found. The British squad, fresh from clinching a long‑awaited victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix – the final race before the summer hiatus – demonstrated that the upgrades introduced at the Hungaroring have unlocked a new level of performance. Lando Norris, the reigning drivers' champion, dominated the event, securing pole and then converting it into a commanding win that narrowed the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to 91 points. At the same time, McLaren trimmed the deficit to Mercedes, the team behind Antonelli, to 159 points.
To stay in contention for the drivers' crown, Norris must also overtake Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Charles Leclerc, while Ferrari sit only 72 points behind Mercedes in the constructors' tally. Although the point differentials remain sizable, the impressive showing in Budapest, following a substantial aerodynamic upgrade package, has given Stella confidence that the team can keep the momentum rolling through the remaining twelve rounds, beginning with the Dutch Grand Prix sprint weekend scheduled for 21‑23 August.
When asked whether McLaren could re‑enter the fight for the world titles, Stella replied, "It's a tough question, but the answer is clear. If we can replicate the form we displayed in Budapest, we still have a lot to achieve.
The key is to keep developing the MCL40 and stay ahead of rivals who are also pushing hard on their upgrade programmes. The outcome will hinge on how effective our solutions prove on track.
Early in the season we struggled more than expected, but once we find momentum, we have shown we can hold onto it." The 2026 calendar features a total of 22 races, with 546 points still up for grabs. Stella reminded everyone that the season is far from over, noting, "There are still 12 races left, so plenty of opportunities remain. The gaps in both championships 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 owe it to the team and our supporters to keep filling it." Looking back, McLaren entered the same period last year in a very different position.
They headed into the summer break with a 299‑point lead in the constructors' standings and Oscar Piastri ahead of Norris, seemingly locked in a two‑horse battle for the drivers' title. However, Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who was 104 points behind Piastri with nine races remaining, mounted a dramatic comeback and ultimately finished the season just two points shy of Norris and 11 ahead of Piastri. That experience reinforced Stella's belief that fortunes can change quickly in Formula 1.
The Hungarian win was the culmination of a quiet but decisive upgrade programme that McLaren had downplayed before the race. Norris not only took pole but also displayed blistering race pace, eventually beating Verstappen by 15 seconds. The margin could have been even larger if Norris had not been held up by teammate Piastri during the opening laps, when Piastri briefly overtook him before the Brit reclaimed the lead.
Stella reflected on the development journey that led to the breakthrough, explaining that there was no single turning point but rather a growing awareness of the scale of the challenge and the adjustments required. He highlighted that the compulsory break in April gave the engineers the chance to focus entirely on analysing the MCL40's performance, identifying areas that needed reinforcement or a change in direction. "The Budapest weekend was the highlight of the first half of the season," he said, "not just because of the result, but because the aerodynamic package we introduced at the Hungaroring stemmed from that shift in development focus and allowed us to make a significant leap in competitiveness." Stella also praised the collaboration with Mercedes, the power‑unit supplier, noting that the team has deepened its understanding of the new Mercedes HPP engine over the past months. He said, "Working closely with our technical partners has helped us learn how to extract the maximum from the power unit.
It's been a long process with ups and downs, but we're finally starting to see the fruits of that labour. Optimising the power unit will remain a complex task throughout the 2026 season, but we are confident we can continue to improve." The next test of McLaren's momentum will come at the Dutch Grand Prix, where a sprint format adds an extra layer of strategy. All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, and fans can stream the coverage via NOW without a long‑term contract.
As the summer break ends, Stella's message to the competition is unmistakable: McLaren has found a rhythm, and if they can keep feeding it with rapid development and efficient use of their Mercedes engine, the team could once again challenge for both the drivers' and constructors' championships as the season unfolds.