Why McLaren must pass its Monza test before talking about an F1 title challenge

Just over a month ago, it seemed likely that McLaren would struggle to defend their Formula 1 drivers' title in 2026. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli led the standings with 204 points to Lando Norris' 103 and Oscar Piastri's 92. However, McLaren introduced a significant upgrade package at the Hungaroring, focusing on front and rear corner bodywork, as well as a new floor and rear wing.

This led to immediate success for Norris, who won both from pole position in Hungary and Zandvoort. He is now only 83 points behind the championship leader.

Team principal Andrea Stella is confident that Norris is consistently extracting the most from the MCL40, even suggesting that he may be outperforming the car. Stella commented following the Dutch Grand Prix, stating that Norris is driving at a very high level, in the absolute sense, compared to a Formula 1 world champion. He attributes this improvement to a changing approach in working with Norris and Oscar, noting that this approach has led to continuous improvements for both drivers.

Stella also highlights Norris' enhanced state of mind, leading to perfected racecraft. He emphasizes that Norris is now expressing a higher level of assertiveness as he drives, demonstrating more self-confidence and sometimes backing off when the situation becomes too risky. Stella believes that assertiveness and confidence are the two characteristics that Norris has improved the most from a non-technical, non-operational point of view.