McLaren to Test 2027 Concepts with Final Upgrades of the Season

"We plan to introduce a series of upgrades. We hope they will close the gap to the front-runners and put McLaren in a position to fight for podiums on merit," Stella said. "As for our chances of winning, we will likely only find out in the final three races, as the updates are being phased in progressively. It is crucial for us to keep building because we are in a tight championship fight, but at the same time, we want to validate key concepts for next year's car. "At this stage of development, aerodynamic concepts evolve aggressively. After roughly two years of development, things become quite complex, and it is natural that some elements work while others do not. Considering work began on January 2, 2025, and we are now deep into 2026, that risk is always present. That is why we wanted to evaluate core components for next year directly on track. The timing makes sense, as Red Bull are virtually level with us on points and ahead on outright pace, while we are also looking to chase down Ferrari in the standings," the McLaren boss added.