McLaren will debut its H-Wing, the team’s version of a rotating rear wing, at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
The Formula 1 team has been developing its own interpretation of the upside-down rear wing after Ferrari introduced the concept during winter testing. The device rotates 180 degrees between cornering mode and straight-line mode, helping reduce drag on high-speed sections.
McLaren commits H-Wing to both cars at Monza
McLaren first brought a prototype to the Austrian Grand Prix but decided not to test it in free practice after an issue arose in the garage. The Woking-based team later ran a revised version during FP1 at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with the intention of introducing it at a low-drag, high-speed circuit.
Monza provides the first such opportunity, and McLaren has committed to running the H-Wing on both cars.
The name is not a reference to Star Wars. Instead, it comes from the letter H in the Etihad logo displayed on the rear wing of the MCL40. The H runs along the centreline, where the H-Wing’s straight-mode actuator is positioned.
The naming convention follows the tradition of McLaren’s famed F-duct from 2010, which took its name from the F in Vodafone’s logo near the nose of the car, where the duct was installed.
McLaren introduces new low-drag rear wing
“This weekend, we have brought what we believe is needed to be competitive, including a new low-drag rear wing specification, including the first use of our H-Wing, alongside some small aerodynamic and low-drag options that we will evaluate before deciding the final specification for qualifying,” said McLaren’s technical director Neil Houldey.
“Overall, we know there is still more performance to unlock from the MCL40, both through maximising the package we already have and through further upgrades planned for the races ahead.”
McLaren will also run a tweaked livery at Monza and next week’s Spanish Grand Prix to promote its partnership with cryptocurrency company OKX.
Former IndyCar Series driver and F1 TV analyst James Hinchcliffe believes McLaren’s performance at Monza will determine whether Lando Norris can mount a realistic challenge for the 2026 Formula 1 championship.
Norris heads to the Italian Grand Prix after consecutive victories at the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix. Those wins, combined with a third-place finish in the Dutch sprint race, have reduced his championship deficit to 83 points.
McLaren’s Monza pace could define Norris’ title hopes
However, Hinchcliffe has cautioned that McLaren’s recent success came at high-downforce circuits. He believes Monza, with its long straights and low-downforce demands, will provide a crucial test of the team’s competitiveness.
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Hinchcliffe said:
“We’ve had two sort of similar tracks back-to-back. I really think Monza is going to answer some questions. I think the level of competitiveness we see out of McLaren at Monza is going to really set the table for whether or not they, and Lando specifically, have a shot at this championship,” Hinchcliffe explained.
Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer, who joined Hinchcliffe and host Tom Clarkson on the podcast, added:
“Lando at his worst was 101 points [behind] this year. I actually think he’s driving unbelievably well. He’s in the frame for driver of the season, him and Kimi, for me, have been the two standouts.
“But he’s still 83 points back. I think Hinch is bang on; I think when you look at the last races – Budapest, Zandvoort – they’re both high-downforce. They are both, if you gave me a list to say who these tracks would suit driver-wise, I’d put Lando’s name right next to both of them.
“He has a great track record there, McLaren has got a great track record at both, and he’s delivered absolutely brilliant wins, but can they do it at Monza? That’s where I’m not sure.”
Norris is currently fourth in the drivers’ championship with 159 points. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli leads the standings on 242 points, while George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are tied on 183 points.
The Italian Grand Prix is scheduled to take place at Monza from 4-6 September.
Oscar Piastri’s struggles at McLaren have continued into the 2026 Formula 1 season, with qualifying pace, rear-tyre management and the MCL40’s aerodynamic characteristics limiting his challenge for race wins.
Piastri won the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, extending his lead over McLaren teammate Lando Norris to 34 points. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was 104 points adrift and appeared to be out of contention.
However, Piastri did not win another grand prix during the remainder of the season and eventually dropped to third in the championship. His decline prompted unfounded speculation that McLaren was sabotaging his title bid.
Piastri trails Norris in 2026
Beyond podium finishes at Suzuka and Miami in the spring, Piastri has not seriously challenged for victory during a difficult 2026 campaign. More concerning for the Australian is that Norris has outperformed him, winning at the Hungaroring and Zandvoort, as well as the Miami sprint.
Piastri’s problems have been most apparent in qualifying and have carried into the races. Norris has beaten him 22-7 in qualifying since last season’s Dutch Grand Prix. Piastri has six pole positions, nine fastest laps and nine grand prix victories, but he has not looked likely to add to that total so far this year.
Why the McLaren MCL40 is challenging for Piastri
Part of the problem is linked to the McLaren MCL40’s design concept. Piastri has traditionally struggled on low-grip circuits, where his relatively conventional driving style can create spikes in rear-tyre surface temperatures as the tyres slide.
Norris has shown greater adaptability between the two drivers. By overlapping the brake and throttle while approaching corners on a shallower trajectory, he encourages the front tyres to help rotate the rear of the car as they reach peak lateral grip. That approach requires a strong feel for front-end grip and confidence that the rear axle will respond as expected.
Piastri’s more linear brake and throttle inputs tend to produce greater rear-end movement when grip levels are low. That weakness has been amplified by this year’s cars, which generate less overall downforce.
McLaren has also struggled to produce efficient rear downforce because it chose the shortest wheelbase permitted under the regulations. The decision delivered straightforward weight savings but left the team with less floor area for adding strakes and slots to manage airflow.
Piastri laboured to sixth in Zandvoort as his teammate won.
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Small losses caused by rear-end slides can accumulate throughout a lap, depending on the circuit layout. Piastri then needs to use more electrical energy than Norris to regain speed, which can leave him with a lower state of charge and cost him top speed on the straights.
Rear-tyre degradation remains a concern
Recent upgrades have returned McLaren to race-winning contention after an underwhelming start to the season. Piastri failed even to make the grid in Australia and China because of power-unit problems, but the rear axle’s behaviour remains a concern, particularly during races, when he generally experiences more tyre degradation than Norris.
The issue was visible at the most recent Dutch Grand Prix. Norris defeated championship leader Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes in a straight fight, while Piastri was held back by a slow pit stop and rear-tyre problems. He finished sixth, 32 seconds behind his teammate.
“In general I’ve been much happier with the car this weekend, which has been good,” Piastri said in Zandvoort.
“I feel like it’s been back into the normal kind of rhythm of having strengths in some corners, weaknesses in others, rather than just trying to find time everywhere, which has been nice.
“We still probably lack a little bit of downforce compared to some of the others, or at least some balance characteristics. I think we rely a lot on the grip from the new tyres to help our balance.
“Maybe we pay the price a bit more when the tyres get worse, but that’s just a guess.”
Lando Norris says winning the Formula 1 world championship has not changed his personality, although achieving his childhood dream has given him greater calm and confidence away from the pressures of the title fight.
The McLaren driver discussed his championship success in an interview with Sky Sports, filmed after he announced a contract extension with the Woking-based team through the end of 2030.
“It hasn’t, which is exactly what I would want,” Norris explained when asked how he thinks winning the championship has changed him. “I don’t want it to change me. I don’t want it to change who I am. I think I just get to go around with a feeling that I’ve accomplished something very few people in the world get to achieve, and I know I’ve achieved my dream as a kid.
“That’s something, again, not many people get to achieve. So I know how lucky I am. I know how fortunate I’ve been to be with McLaren.”
Norris remains focused on the Formula 1 title fight
For the 26-year-old, the biggest change has been in his perspective away from the cockpit rather than in his approach on the track.
“There’s an element of I know that people have high expectations, and I have high expectations for myself, and that’s where everything starts,” he said about the pressure of the current championship campaign.
Lando Norris, McLaren. Photo by: Pirelli
“But there’s also the element of we had such a tough start to the year. We’ve been very, very unfortunate with a lot of things. We knew we would start on the back foot. [Fighting for the championship] certainly wasn’t the first thought we had. The fact that it’s become a thought is a pretty awesome thing.
“So I’m very relaxed that I’m in the position of being the chaser, of course. But every time I’m on track, I don’t necessarily feel different because of it. Every time I put my helmet on, I still want to win today. I want to be first today. I want to be on pole. And that’s the same mentality that I’ve always had.
“It changes my outlook, especially when I’m out of the car. But I wouldn’t say it changes anything when I’m in it, because when I’m in it, it’s always 100%. It’s always go flat out. It’s always, don’t embarrass yourself. I want to be number one, no matter what situation I’m in.
“So, yeah, certainly just being off track, being more relaxed, being able to work with the team in an even better way than ever, that’s what’s also helping.”
McLaren’s Zandvoort upgrades delivered more than a performance boost
McLaren’s victory at Zandvoort, its second consecutive win after Budapest, highlighted the impact of the team’s upgrades introduced before and after Formula 1’s summer break. The developments did more than restore the aerodynamic load the car had been lacking: they also helped McLaren take a decisive step forward.
High-speed corners reveal McLaren’s progress
McLaren’s strengths were already becoming apparent at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, while the car looked even more convincing at Spa. The faster and longer the corner, where absolute speed is not the only consideration, the more competitive McLaren became. Its latest upgrades supplied the additional downforce needed to make the car a benchmark through those sections.
The effectiveness of the developments even surprised McLaren, with the car’s performance in high-speed corners exceeding the team’s internal expectations.
Another factor in the Zandvoort victory received less attention: the introduction of new front wheel rims, a development McLaren technical director of engineering Neil Houldey had previewed before the weekend.
McLaren wheel cover comparison
Photo by: Clive Mason / Getty Images
“We introduced a small change to the rear section of the floor to generate a bit of extra load, along with some minor tweaks to the rear brake ducts. We also have new front wheel rims, which will help us build more temperature in the tyres. These updates are not significant in terms of lap time, but they do make us slightly more competitive”, Houldey said.
Why tyre temperature mattered at Zandvoort
The significance of the wheel-rim change became clearer after the race. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella noted that Budapest and Zandvoort were both high-downforce circuits that naturally suited the car’s characteristics better than other tracks.
McLaren’s difficulties at Monaco, however, showed that the problem was not limited to cornering speeds or circuit layout. The team had hoped to challenge at the front in Monte Carlo and repeat its successes from the previous year, but it finished outside the podium positions.
Although Monaco offers teams greater freedom to set up the car because it involves fewer compromises, McLaren was hurt by a lack of downforce and difficulty generating heat in the front tyres. That reduced overall grip.
The limitation had already appeared earlier in the season, most notably in Australia and China, where the car suffered significant graining. In Japan, however, graining was not a problem and a new track surface improved grip, allowing the MCL40 to score its first podium of the season.
Front-axle graining was one of the concerns heading into the Zandvoort weekend, but it ultimately proved minimal across the field. The bigger challenge was getting the tyres into their optimal temperature window, even over a single lap.
That was evident during the final Q3 runs on Saturday. Lando Norris secured pole position, while rival teams struggled to bring their tyres up to temperature and required an additional lap.
Aston Martin’s 2026 wheel comparison demonstrates the difference between the front and rear designs used to manage temperatures
Photo by: Gianluca D’Alessandro
How McLaren’s new front rims managed tyre temperatures
The issue was directly connected to McLaren’s upgrades in the Netherlands. Rule changes reopened wheel-rim development this season, giving teams an important tool for managing tyre temperatures and operating pressures.
The internal cavities of a custom rim design, which some teams call “pockets”, allow engineers to passively control air exchange and thermal transfer to the tyre.
At Zandvoort, McLaren focused on retaining more heat within the rim structure and transferring it more effectively to the tyre. As a result, only the front rim, produced by the team’s long-standing partner Enkei, was updated.
The change was paired with a more enclosed wheel cover. Its purpose was to limit the cooling effect of ambient airflow hitting the assembly while also reducing drag.
The rear rim remained unchanged because rear-tyre degradation was already a major factor throughout the weekend, including during the sprint and the race. At the rear of the car, McLaren’s priority was to keep temperatures under control during traction phases and through high-speed sections rather than generate additional heat.
Strong gusts caused the cars to slide through high-speed corners, where extra downforce was crucial, as well as through key traction zones on the exits of slower corners. McLaren’s combination of aerodynamic improvements and front-rim development helped the team manage those challenges and convert its recent progress into another victory.
2025 Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris says he would be “proud” to spend his entire F1 career with McLaren after committing his future to the team until the end of the 2030 season.
The 26-year-old has signed a four-year contract extension with the Woking-based outfit. Speaking to Sky Sports about the possibility of racing into his 40s and remaining with McLaren throughout his career, Norris said he was uncertain how long he would continue competing in Formula 1 but reaffirmed his commitment to the team.
“Oh, I don’t know if I want to get to 40. It’s a big ask to get to 30, so we’ll see. I don’t know what the future holds,”
He added:
“I certainly want to believe what it holds, and I still believe that we can win more as a team and win more constructors’ and more drivers’ championships, and that’s why I want to stay here.
Lando Norris, McLaren. Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images
“But they are also the only team I’ve ever been with, and the team that I love and I call this place my home. So, if I do end up just doing my whole career at McLaren, that’s something I’ll be so proud to say and carry with me through the rest of my life.”
Norris played down immediate comparisons with the lengthy Formula 1 careers of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, saying his focus is currently on the four-year extension he has just signed.
“I don’t know what point I want to go to as a driver, whether I want to be 30, or 40, or 50. I don’t know that yet,”
He continued:
“So, I’m just very, very pleased to announce I’ll be here for four more years and four more years fighting for wins and championships, hopefully.”
Norris is currently fourth in the drivers’ championship with 159 points after securing back-to-back victories at the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix.
Former Alpine Formula 1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer expects McLaren to emerge as Mercedes’ closest rival by the end of the 2026 season.
Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast with broadcaster Jake Humphrey, Szafnauer discussed the changing competitive order at the front of the Formula 1 grid after Lando Norris secured consecutive victories at the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix.
McLaren upgrades could transform the F1 title fight
McLaren has introduced significant upgrades at recent races. With the team’s development package now fully integrated ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Szafnauer believes the Woking-based outfit can overtake Ferrari in the constructors’ championship and mount a stronger challenge to Mercedes.
“Monza will be very important because [McLaren] brought an upgrade that did work in Hungary. I think they continued with that upgrade from what I read in Zandvoort, and now the upgrade’s complete. Let’s see how they go in Monza,” Szafnauer explained.
“I still think they’re going to be Mercedes’ closest competitor at the end of the season. I said that at the beginning, but it seemed like it was Ferrari. And I think it’s ebbing and flowing, the relative performance due to the fact that not all of the upgrades are coming at the same time, and the upgrades are significant.
“In a year where the regulations are new, you find a lot, right? So your learning curve is very steep. So when you bring that upgrade relative to those who haven’t, you make a step. And I think we saw that with Alpine as well. After Racing Bulls had their upgrade, they were significantly quicker than Alpine. It looked like they were going to get them. And now they’re there or thereabouts.”
Lando Norris, McLaren. Photo by Eric Le Galliot.
Mercedes upgrades limited by the cost cap
Szafnauer also addressed why constructors’ championship leader Mercedes has spread its upgrades across the season instead of introducing new components more frequently. He attributed the team’s cautious approach to Formula 1’s cost cap.
“Cost cap. They have upgrades now that they could bring, but once you start making those parts, it costs you, and they’ll go over the cap,” he said. “So what they’re going to do, my guess is, one more upgrade, Malaysia/Singapore timeframe.
“That doesn’t mean the learning stops. The learning continues in the background. You’re still doing CFD work. You’re still doing wind tunnel work. You’re still making wind tunnel parts. All that’s planned.
“It’s just a question of when you stop to actually bring that upgrade package. And that’s where the money is. When you make realised car parts, they cost: new wings, new floors, new bodywork. And I predict they’ll have one more big upgrade as opposed to a lot of little ones because they can’t afford it. They’re at the cap.”
Lando Norris remains confident that McLaren can make the necessary improvements to its current Formula 1 car and challenge for the 2026 world championship.
Speaking to Sky Sports after announcing a contract extension with McLaren through the end of 2030, the British driver assessed the team’s prospects in the current championship campaign.
McLaren endured a difficult start to the season but has made a significant performance gain following the introduction of upgrades. Norris has since claimed consecutive victories at the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix, moving himself into title contention.
“Well, we’re trying to change that. That’s one thing I’m certain of,” Norris explained when asked if the car is in a position to fight for the championship.
“The team is working better than they’ve ever worked before. I think they’re working in a more efficient, harder way, even than the last couple of years. And that level was world championship-winning level. So, it’s not that I don’t think we can win it.
Lando Norris, McLaren Photo by: Eric Le Galliot
“I’m confident we have a lot of what we need in place. It’s just certain areas on the car that we need to improve. And I believe we can. It’s just a race against time, as always, within Formula 1. But we proved over the last few weekends that we can still win races, and we have very good momentum.
“I always want that little bit more, and I want to be confident that we can improve the car enough to easily say, ‘Yeah, we can fight for this world championship.’
“So, we can easily fight as a team. We just need to improve some things with the car, and I’m still confident we can do that.”
McLaren currently sits third in the constructors’ championship with 263 points, 162 points behind leaders Mercedes. Norris is fourth in the drivers’ standings with 159 points, 83 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
McLaren has secured Lando Norris on a long-term contract that will keep the reigning Formula 1 world champion with the Woking-based team until 2030, with options for multiple additional years. The deal is expected to reflect Norris’ status as one of F1’s leading drivers and takes him into his 30s with McLaren.
The 26-year-old’s contract removes one of the biggest names from the Formula 1 driver market for years to come, making Norris a bona fide franchise driver for McLaren. The idea of seeing him in a different-coloured race suit has always seemed difficult to imagine, and this agreement makes that prospect even less likely.
Norris joined McLaren’s driver programme a decade ago after being recruited by Zak Brown. He progressed through the junior single-seater ranks with Carlin before replacing Stoffel Vandoorne as McLaren’s grand prix driver in 2019, joining a new generation of British-born talent that included George Russell and Alex Albon.
After developing from a fast but raw and insecure prospect into a championship-winning star, Norris enjoyed a defining 2025 season. He overcame driving-style difficulties, mechanical failures and the challenge posed by team-mate Oscar Piastri to claim his first Formula 1 world championship.
That achievement appeared to transform Norris’ outlook. Having once hoped he could fulfil his ambitions, he gained the confidence that he could actually achieve them.
“Lando is driving and operating at the level of a world champion,” team boss Andrea Stella said after Norris’ Zandvoort win. “What I like the most about his journey in Formula 1 is that he keeps improving. And I think especially after the start of the 2025 season, something clicked, which is not only a single click, but is a way of working with Lando and that we are adopting also on Oscar’s side now in particular. And I think this approach has led Lando to continuous improvements.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Lando Norris and McLarenPhoto by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
McLaren prioritises stability ahead of the 2027 F1 season
McLaren’s decision to commit to Norris reflects its desire for stability as Formula 1 teams contend with the complexity of the 2026 power unit regulations. The team has agreed to pay an undisclosed but reportedly substantial sum to retain its most successful driver since Lewis Hamilton.
At 26, Norris is entering the prime years of his career. Keeping him under contract gives McLaren continuity as it works to overcome a relatively slow start to the 2026 season. His two victories either side of the summer break suggest the team is beginning to make progress.
The quiet driver market further underlines the value teams are placing on stability. With resources stretched by the demands of the 2026 regulations, teams are keen to eliminate as many uncertainties as possible, provided their drivers are delivering strong performances.
When Max Verstappen, the dominant figure in the F1 silly season, chose to remain with Red Bull, the 2027 grid was always likely to resemble this year’s line-up. Charles Leclerc has also reaffirmed his commitment to Ferrari, while Mercedes is expected to seek similar long-term continuity with its drivers, particularly Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Speaking to Motorsport.com, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur explained the value of Leclerc’s long-term relationship with Maranello: “Having this kind of continuity is always positive. For me it’s also much easier to work with drivers that I have known for ages. Sometimes you don’t need to discuss [something] when you have known someone for 10, 15 or 20 years, when the first feeling is the good one, and you know what he’s thinking.”
The relationship between Norris and McLaren is built on a similar level of mutual trust and understanding, benefiting both the driver and the team.
Oscar Piastri, McLarenPhoto by: Pauline Ballet / LAT Images via Getty Images
What does Lando Norris’ deal mean for Oscar Piastri?
Norris’ high-profile contract is likely to prompt close attention from Oscar Piastri and his management team. The Australian extended his McLaren contract to 2028 at the start of the 2025 championship and appeared to be in control of the title fight until a combination of declining performance, driver errors, team mistakes and bad luck left him behind both Norris and Verstappen.
The outcome was a major setback for Piastri. Concerns about team orders and McLaren’s rules of engagement during the 2025 campaign may also influence how he views Norris’ long-term agreement. Controversial incidents included a position swap at the Italian Grand Prix and contact between the two team-mates in Singapore and Austin.
Those who believe McLaren is, and always will be, Norris’ team are likely to view the extension as confirmation of that perception. Piastri, however, has more immediate concerns.
After an exceptionally strong first half of the 2025 season, the 25-year-old has endured an extended dip in performance with the 2026-generation cars. His struggles appear similar to the driving-style problems he experienced last year on low-grip circuits such as Austin and Mexico.
Team principal Stella said Piastri’s issues are “purely technical” rather than mental, whether they are connected to the end of 2025 or the start of 2026. Piastri is set to reach a full calendar year without a grand prix victory on Monday.
McLaren is working with Piastri behind the scenes on changes to both the car and his driving style, following an approach similar to the one that helped Norris last year. If those efforts succeed, McLaren could have both of its leading drivers back at their best for a closely contested second half of 2026 and a potential title challenge in 2027.
McLaren’s long-term objective remains to have both drivers competing against each other for race wins and championships. That could lead to Piastri following a similar path towards a contract extension, although his management team must decide whether remaining with McLaren is in his best interests or whether it is time to consider alternatives.
Piastri’s current contract runs until the end of 2028, giving him and McLaren time to assess their options. In the meantime, McLaren has its reigning world champion secured for the entire current rules cycle—one fewer uncertainty as the Woking team seeks to retain and strengthen its title-winning line-up.
One detail of Lando Norris’s new McLaren contract extension has particularly impressed Formula 1 fans, who have described the agreement as “well deserved”.
The reigning F1 world champion has signed a contract extension that will keep him with McLaren until at least the end of 2030. As part of the deal, the 26-year-old will also receive the MCL39 chassis in which he secured his maiden drivers’ championship in 2025.
Norris made his McLaren debut in 2019 and has now started 163 grands prix for the Woking-based team, more than any other driver. The Briton’s career record includes 13 grand prix victories, 48 podium finishes, 18 pole positions, 20 fastest laps, 1,589 points and one drivers’ title.
“The perfect choice for both sides, Lando showed McLaren loyalty and it more than paid off with a title, so he deserves a new mega deal. He might possibly be a one-team guy for his career, and he might not be done winning titles either,”
one fan commented on Reddit.
“Well deserved. I hope this comes with a big salary increase because he’s been one of the best drivers on the grid this season and has a title. He literally reminds me of Button after 2009 but with a higher skill ceiling.”
another fan posted.
Lando Norris, McLaren. Photo by: Bryn Lennon / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Lando Norris’s championship-winning McLaren chassis
The decision to give Norris his championship-winning MCL39 quickly became a major talking point among fans.
“This is such a beautiful gesture from McLaren to give Lando the championship-winning car. Well-deserved extension with the loyalty he’s given them from the very beginning and paid off well with the title last year. Plus, with what he’s been doing so far this season, even with the reliability woes earlier in the year, he’s going to be competitive with them for much longer,”
another fan wrote.
“Big fat contract extension and he’s being gifted his championship-winning car. What a day for the lad!”
someone else posted, while another commented:
“Such an insane gift to be able to get your first championship-winning car. Fully deserved. He’s stuck with the team through thick and thin! Bro is for sure going to celebrate tonight.”
