McLaren's MCL40 Debuts Aggressive Aero and Bargeboards

McLaren’s MCL40 made its public debut at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during the team’s pre-season shakedown, with Lando Norris taking the car out after McLaren skipped the first two days of running. Norris completed 77 laps and posted a best time of 1:18.307 to sit third on the timesheets behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, while Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz and others noted the MCL40’s “more aggressive” appearance compared with Mercedes and Ferrari. Observers pointed to a detailed front wing, an expanded bargeboard region and a strong floor–sidepod package, and McLaren chief designer Rob Marshall described the day as productive for systems data and driver feedback, reporting only minor gremlins during the outing.

Norris’s first impressions emphasized a marked improvement in straight-line acceleration: under the 2026 regulations the car reached around 340–350 km/h noticeably quicker than previous seasons thanks to higher permitted electrical deployment, lower downforce and lower wings in “straight mode.” He said cornering felt a bit slower and that the added battery and power‑unit management complexity made the car harder to fully understand initially, but that the MCL40 still “feels like a McLaren” with strong power delivery. The session was framed as an early learning exercise rather than a performance benchmark, giving the team baseline data on aerodynamic behavior, energy management demands and reliability to carry into the remainder of testing.

Running with the traditional No. 1 was a symbolic milestone: Norris described seeing the number on his car, suit and timing screens as “surreal,” and his run marked the first time McLaren had carried No. 1 since Jenson Button’s 2010 Abu Dhabi appearance, ending a 5,555‑day gap. Norris acknowledged the extra scrutiny that comes with the championship number but said it had not changed his working approach. McLaren planned to continue its evaluation program with Oscar Piastri running the MCL40 the following day and further work scheduled in Bahrain, with the shakedown providing an early technical direction and highlighting how drivers will adapt to altered handling and increased energy‑management responsibilities under the new rules.