McLaren brings new aero package to Baku Grand Prix
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 22, 2026
McLaren upgrade package
The upgrade is intended to help McLaren extend its strong run in the 2026 Formula 1 title fight through the final stretch of the season. The team is still developing the car while also working on next year’s machine, and chief technical officer Rob Marshall said Baku gives the team another chance to judge how far it can push the current package. The circuit puts a premium on energy, tire and brake management, with its long straight, slow corners and tight street layout creating a different challenge. That mix makes Baku a useful test bed for a team that wants speed now and answers for the future. McLaren does not need to guess at the size of the task ahead. It expects Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull to stay in the mix in Azerbaijan, and Marshall said any of the top four teams could win.
Baku test plan
McLaren will put the new aerodynamic parts on the car in Friday practice before deciding whether to keep them for the rest of the Baku weekend. That approach gives the team a chance to measure the upgrade against the demands of the street circuit. The rotating H-Wing will return as part of the package. McLaren first used the device in Monza and left it off the car in Madrid, and its return adds another variable to the team’s weekend evaluation. It is still pressing ahead with upgrades while also keeping one eye on the next project. McLaren remains fully committed to improving the car with nine races left, and Baku gives it another chance to find lap time without losing sight of the bigger development picture. The team will use Friday’s running to see whether the new parts suit the circuit, the tires and the braking demands before it makes a final call.
Norris title push
Lando Norris arrives in Azerbaijan with momentum and a small gap to close in the championship. He has taken three pole positions in the last four Grands Prix and turned two of those poles into wins, a run that has kept him near the front of the title race. A virtual safety car changed the shape of what looked like a likely victory for him in Madrid, but his recent pace still points to a driver who can start at the sharp end and convert that speed into results. Norris sits fourth in the Drivers’ standings, five points behind Lewis Hamilton, so every race weekend now carries extra weight for both his championship position and McLaren’s wider push. Baku offers another fast street-circuit test, and it also offers another chance for Norris to continue a stretch that has put him in the title conversation. With McLaren planning to evaluate new parts in practice and the front-runners expected to stay close, Norris will need a clean weekend to make the most of the opportunities in front of him.
