McLaren Prepare Major Upgrade Push to Challenge Mercedes at Canadian… read more 👇
The battle at the top of Formula 1 could be about to take a dramatic turn as prepare a huge package of upgrades for the upcoming in Montreal. After a difficult start to the 2026 campaign dominated by , McLaren now believe they may finally have the tools needed to challenge for victories and close the gap in both championship standings.
Mercedes have controlled the season so far, winning all four races and establishing themselves as the team to beat under the new regulations. Their impressive performances have placed drivers and at the centre of the title fight, while several of Formula 1’s biggest stars have struggled to keep pace.
Surprisingly, former champions , and have yet to secure a single grand prix victory between them this season. That statistic alone highlights just how dominant Mercedes have been during the opening phase of the year.
However, momentum may slowly be starting to shift.
At the recent , McLaren delivered their strongest performance of the campaign and showed clear signs of progress. The British team secured an impressive one-two finish in the sprint race before following it up with second and third positions in the main grand prix. Those results placed them comfortably ahead of Russell during the weekend and suggested Mercedes may no longer have such a comfortable advantage.
The Miami performance has given renewed hope that reigning world champion Norris could still become a serious contender in the championship battle. Although the McLaren driver currently trails Antonelli by 49 points, the season is still young and the team’s latest development programme could help reduce that deficit quickly.
McLaren have now confirmed that another major round of upgrades will arrive for the Canadian Grand Prix at the famous . The team are taking an aggressive approach to development as they attempt to extract more speed from the MCL40 and continue building on the gains seen in Miami.
Speaking ahead of the Montreal race weekend, McLaren explained that Miami represented only the first phase of their larger performance plan for the season. According to the team, the development process will continue in Canada with extensive changes being introduced across several important areas of the car.
The new package reportedly includes updates to the floor, chassis, front wing, rear wing, bodywork, halo and roll hoop. Such widespread modifications underline how determined McLaren are to transform their fortunes and fight consistently at the front once again.
The upgrades come after the team already introduced seven new components during the Miami weekend. Their rapid development strategy mirrors the intense competition currently taking place behind Mercedes, with both McLaren and eager to establish themselves as the Silver Arrows’ closest challengers.
Ferrari also brought a large number of improvements to Miami, introducing 11 updated parts as they attempt to recover from an inconsistent start to the season. The battle between Ferrari and McLaren could therefore become one of the defining storylines of the coming races, especially if Mercedes begin to feel pressure from multiple directions.
For McLaren, the Canadian Grand Prix may represent a crucial moment in their season. If the upgrades perform as expected, Norris and teammate could begin regularly competing for wins once again. More importantly, it could finally turn the 2026 championship fight into a genuine multi-team contest rather than a Mercedes procession.
With Montreal’s high-speed layout expected to test every aspect of the new package, all eyes will be on McLaren to see whether their “monster” upgrades can truly shake up the Formula 1 pecking order.