McLaren is refusing to stand still after its breakthrough victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Woking-based team has confirmed further upgrades for the next round of the 2026 Formula 1 season at Zandvoort, as it looks to build on the progress made in recent races.
The Hungarian Grand Prix marked an important turning point for McLaren, with the team returning to the top step of the podium after introducing a significant development package. The latest changes are part of an ongoing effort to improve the car’s overall performance and close the gap to the leading teams.
Further upgrades for McLaren
McLaren will bring additional developments to the Dutch Grand Prix, designed to complement the package introduced in Hungary.
The new components will focus primarily on the rear of the car and include a new rear wing and revised rear brake ducts. The aim is to further improve aerodynamic efficiency and overall balance while making better use of the data collected during recent races.
The decision to continue developing the car underlines McLaren’s determination to maintain its momentum during the second half of the season.
Sprint weekend adds another challenge
The Dutch Grand Prix will present an additional challenge because Zandvoort will host a Sprint weekend.
McLaren will therefore have only one 60-minute practice session before competitive running begins. That leaves the engineers with very little time to evaluate the new components and establish the optimum setup.
The team will need to quickly find the right compromise between aerodynamic performance, balance and tyre management.
Zandvoort is also an important venue for Lando Norris, who won the Dutch Grand Prix last year. McLaren will be hoping that the circuit once again suits the characteristics of its car.
McLaren confident but aware of the competition
Technical director Neil Houdley has highlighted the progress made by McLaren during the first part of the season, while stressing that the team must continue improving.
McLaren has gathered valuable information about how to extract the maximum performance from its car, while also working to address the weaknesses identified earlier in the campaign.
The team knows, however, that its rivals will also continue bringing upgrades throughout the season.
McLaren targets the front
The Hungarian victory has provided McLaren with renewed confidence, but the team understands that one strong result is not enough to establish itself permanently at the front of the Formula 1 field.
The latest developments in Zandvoort therefore represent another important step in the team’s development programme.
McLaren’s objective is clear: maximise the potential of the new package and remain firmly involved in the battle at the front.
The Dutch Grand Prix could consequently provide an important indication of whether McLaren’s breakthrough in Hungary was an isolated result or evidence of a genuine step forward in performance.