Bahrain – Reigning Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris has cautioned against expecting McLaren to immediately replicate their dominant 2025 form as the sport enters a new era of regulations in 2026. While the Woking-based team enjoyed a stellar season last year, Norris believes the MCL40 currently lacks a key advantage that propelled them to success: consistent tyre management.
Speaking during pre-season testing in Bahrain , Norris acknowledged the MCL40 is not yet performing at the same level as its predecessor, the MCL39. “At the minute we’re a little bit off, so to match the race pace of some of the others, we have to push a bit more, and then we have more degradation,” he stated. This contrasts sharply with the 2025 season, where McLaren often found themselves in a position to control races due to their superior tyre performance, particularly in the closing stages.
Norris explained that last year’s success allowed for a more conservative race strategy. “Last year we also had just a pace advantage, so going into the race it was always, we could almost drive slower, things worked better, and then we could drive quicker,” he said. The ability to manage tyre wear effectively meant McLaren could prioritize pace earlier in a stint, knowing they had reserves later on. That strategic flexibility appears to be diminished with the MCL40.
The shift in performance comes as Formula 1 introduces significant regulation changes for the 2026 season, including a revised power unit configuration with a greater emphasis on electric power. These changes were widely anticipated to reset the competitive order, and Norris’s comments suggest McLaren is experiencing the challenges of adapting to the new landscape.
However, Norris remains optimistic that McLaren can build on its existing strengths. “I know there are some things that our strengths last year that will continue to be our strengths this season,” he added. He highlighted the team’s ongoing efforts to understand and optimize the MCL40, focusing on areas like race pace and tyre cooling. “The car worked very well last year. It was difficult to understand it worked well. And it’s still just very, very early days, but it’s currently moving,” Norris said, indicating that development is progressing.
The team’s engineering technical director, Neil Houldey, has also acknowledged that the early stages of the MCL40’s development have been hampered by minor issues, resulting in lost track time. While the specifics of these problems haven’t been disclosed, they underscore the challenges of bringing a new car to the track and ironing out initial kinks.
The 2025 season saw McLaren break through as a consistent front-running team, securing both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships. Their success was built, in large part, on their ability to extract maximum performance from their tyres, a characteristic that allowed them to consistently challenge Red Bull and Ferrari. The loss of that advantage, as Norris suggests, could significantly alter the competitive dynamic this year.
The focus on tyre management isn’t unique to McLaren. The new regulations for 2026 are expected to place even greater emphasis on energy management, a skill already central to Formula E racing. Alberto Longo, a co-founder of Formula E, recently suggested that Formula 1’s increased commitment to electrification is indirectly benefiting the electric series by raising awareness of the importance of efficient energy usage.
While Norris’s assessment tempers expectations for an immediate repeat of McLaren’s 2025 success, he remains confident in the team’s ability to adapt and improve. The early days of testing suggest a competitive field, and McLaren will need to work diligently to regain its tyre management advantage and unlock the full potential of the MCL40. The Bahrain test will be crucial in providing further insights into the pecking order and the challenges that lie ahead as the 2026 season approaches.
The sale of the Aston Martin Vantage Safety Car used during the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for nearly £600,000 highlights the enduring interest in Formula 1’s history and the dramatic moments that define the sport. However, the focus now firmly rests on the future, and the challenges and opportunities presented by the new regulations and the evolving competitive landscape.
