MCLAREN STUMBLES EARLY, SURGES BACK IN 2026

Original: F1 2026 mid-season grades: McLaren starts on back foot but makes rapid progress

McLaren initially struggles under the new 2026 regulations but demonstrates rapid improvement as the mid-season progresses.

McLaren faced the challenge over following up its back-to-back world titles across an entirely different set of regulations. On paper, it felt like the Woking-based squad was well equipped to do so, but a combination of its 2025 title race hangover and its challenges exploiting Mercedes' power unit