McLaren will introduce a “completely new” aerodynamic B-spec MCL40 at the Miami Grand Prix on May 3 and plans to run the revised car again at the Canadian Grand Prix. Team principal Andrea Stella called the package an “entirely new MCL40” and a “philosophical shift,” describing it as a planned technical overhaul to make the car more competitive.

The move follows a difficult start to this season for the defending constructors’ and drivers’ champions, who have struggled for pace and reliability. Lando Norris finished fifth at the Australian Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri failed to score in the opening races before scoring a podium in Japan. The team also endured problems in China that reports variously described as a double-DNF or failures to start. Cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds created an enforced April break that gave McLaren extra factory time to concentrate on the upgrades.

McLaren will use Miami to measure the upgrades’ effectiveness and hopes the B-spec will restore last season’s competitiveness; the team has won the last two editions of the Miami Grand Prix. Stella cautioned the package “may not dramatically reshuffle the order,” noting rivals Mercedes and, to some extent, Ferrari have also had development time and that outcomes will depend on both McLaren’s changes and concurrent work by competitors. The team drew confidence from a past mid-season turnaround, with reports pointing to either 2022 or 2023 as the precedent.