McLaren plans to utilize the last developments for 2026 to evaluate concepts for their 2027 Formula 1 car.

“We do plan to implement some upgrades. We hope they will help bridge the gap to the top cars and position McLaren to contend for podium finishes on merit,” Stella stated.

“As for whether we can compete for victory, we will likely have to wait until the final three races, as the upgrades will be introduced in stages.

“It’s crucial for us to roll out these upgrades because we are in a tight battle for a championship position. However, we also want to validate some of the fundamental concepts that will be carried into next year's vehicle.”

Lando Norris, McLaren

Stella elaborated that with the aerodynamic features of its F1 car beginning to mature and grow increasingly intricate, the team aims to test components likely to be integral to its 2027 F1 car design.

“At this level of maturity, you start pushing the boundaries of aerodynamic development, and while some innovations may succeed, others might not, as the aerodynamics become sufficiently complex after essentially two years of progress,” he explained.

“Considering that development began on January 2, 2025, we are now well into 2026. After two years of complex evolution, outcomes can vary.

“Thus, we wanted to track test some of the foundational elements for next year, and this is particularly relevant since Red Bull is closely matched with us in points and ahead in terms of competitiveness. We aim to challenge Ferrari in the championship.”

While McLaren aspires to climb higher in the F1 world constructors’ championship, it will likely need to defend its current third position against Red Bull, who have narrowed the gap to just seven points following the Singapore GP.

Ferrari holds the second spot, 105 points ahead of McLaren, with a potential total of 258 points still available, assuming the remainder of the 2026 F1 season proceeds as planned, given the uncertainty surrounding the Qatar and Abu Dhabi GPs due to the ongoing conflict in Iran.