McLaren's final 2026 upgrades will double as a blueprint for its 2027 F1 car

McLaren’s remaining 2026 upgrades will serve a dual purpose: closing the gap to the championship leaders this season while laying the aerodynamic groundwork for next year’s car, team principal Andrea Stella revealed after the Singapore Grand Prix.

Stella confirmed the final development packages will be rolled out across three consecutive rounds — Austin, Mexico City and São Paulo — chosen specifically because each circuit offers different characteristics to give the team a thorough read on the full upgrade package.

“We do plan to deliver some upgrades. We hope that they will be able to fill this gap that we have to the best cars and put McLaren in condition to fight for podiums on merit,” Stella said. “And then whether we can fight for the victory, this I think we will have to see probably in the last three races, because the upgrades will be delivered in phases.”

Beyond the immediate competitive aim, Stella explained that the team is using the late-season window to trial parts that are expected to be foundational to the 2027 concept. With McLaren now more than two years into the current car’s development cycle — dating back to January 2025 — the aerodynamics have grown complex enough that some directions will prove fruitful and others will not.

“We wanted to track test some of the fundamentals we carry into next year,” Stella said. “The aerodynamics is starting to get complicated enough after what is basically two years of development. It may go right, it may go wrong.”

The urgency is sharpened by McLaren’s position in the constructors’ standings. Red Bull closed to within seven points of the Woking outfit after Singapore, making third place far from secure. Ferrari sit second, 105 points clear of McLaren, with a maximum of 258 points still available in the remaining rounds — assuming the rest of the 2026 calendar is completed.

Stella acknowledged the dual threat directly, noting that Red Bull are broadly on par in points while holding a slight edge in outright pace, and that Ferrari remain the target further up the order. The upgrade sequence, then, is as much about protecting third as it is about building the foundations for a stronger 2027 title challenge.