The resurgence of McLaren: An effort that continues into the 2026 F1 season

McLaren celebrating their 2025 WCC title | Credit: Formula One

McLaren’s identity and reputation in the world of Formula One has shifted dramatically over the last decade and more. When Zak Brown’s tenure as Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Racing began in 2018, the team ended the season sixth in the World Constructors’ Championship. In only seven years, Brown transformed the team into one that achieved consecutive WCC titles for the first time since 1991.

The transformation from a struggling team in 2018 which was barely fighting for points, a far cry from the dominant force they had once been during the late 1980s and early 1990s, can be explained by the work of Brown. The outlook on transforming the team has come down to three key areas: team personnel, car development and the drivers that can best represent the team on the track. In all three areas, McLaren has undergone an overhaul not only in performance but also in mindset as well.

Brown on the pitwall during his first season as McLaren Racing’s CEO | Credit: Formula One

From a personnel perspective, 2018 was a tumultuous time in McLaren’s history. Key figures needed to be held accountable for the lack of performance in the car; Éric Boullier’s resignation from the racing director position was indicative of this stance. Since 2018, the team has also been subject to regular technical restructurings, leaving McLaren with a hierarchy unlike anything else on the grid. 

Compared to the current list of the top employees at McLaren, there is a mix of old familiar names and new high-profile signings from other world championship winning teams. Team Principal Andrea Stella, who occupied the performance director position in 2018, was promoted through the ranks to lead the team after the departure of Andreas Seidl in 2022. After the departure of James Key, the former technical director at the team, the position was split into three. 

The most notable new signings for McLaren have not only propelled forward the team in the last few years but have also all arrived from some of their closest rivals, Red Bull and Ferrari. In 2023, Rob Marshall joined the Papaya team from Red Bull and in 2024, David Sanchez followed from Ferrari. However, after only three months, Sanchez departed which prompted another technical reshuffling. 

Marshall representing McLaren on the podium at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix after Norris’ first win of the season | Credit: Formula One

As of 2026, Marshall remains in his chief designer position with Neil Houldey as Technical Director of Engineering and Peter Prodromou as Technical Director of Aerodynamics. With these three leading the technical development of the team, they were able to bring the upgrade package to Miami in 2024 which saw the team’s first win since 2021 and the start of their championship winning campaign.

McLaren, like Red Bull, believe in promoting internally however are not opposed to hiring from their competitors who suit their unique technical hierarchy. Unlike 2018 where a mix of Ron Dennis’ team was forced to adapt to the failed hirings of Martin Whitmarsh, the 2025 team which has continued into 2026 is a group of individuals clearly hired by Brown not only to win but to propel the team forward in harmony. 

Brown and Stella have become one of the best pairings in terms of team leadership in F1’s recent history | Credit: Formula One

F1 is the greatest partnership between driver and machinery in the realm of motorsports. There is, after all, a reason why F1 is constantly and consistently referred to as the pinnacle of motorsports and yet, this is exactly why both must be in accord for the greatest success. 

In 2018, it was car development that struggled and stopped the team from moving up the order despite the copious amount of testing that was conducted at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Even with the new partnership with Renault, an attempt made by the team to forget the disappointing second partnership that had just come to an end with Honda, the team were still subject to retirements and a lack of pace. 

McLaren’s 2018 challenger with a significant lack of sponsors to reflect the team’s circumstances | Credit: Formula One

Since 2018, the concept of development and the location of where this development takes place has transformed into an absolute priority for the Woking-based team. With a new wind-tunnel, arguably one of the best on the grid, opening at McLaren Technology Centre in 2023, the team has approached development with a new zeal. 

After the success of their 2024 upgrade package which brought their first win since 2021, the focus on development and the rhetoric of wanting to be ahead of their competitors has been highlighted by everyone at the team, from drivers to management. Unlike 2018 where it felt like upgrades were being brought to the track without a clear idea, McLaren’s more recent approach has been to stick with their own timelines and ideas, no matter what their competitors might be doing. 

The McLaren Technology Centre, the team’s technical and engineering base in the UK | Credit: Formula One

Unlike the constant musical chairs that are played by the other teams during ‘silly season’, McLaren have demonstrated that they believe in longevity when it comes to their driver pairings. 2018 saw Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne represent the team; that was their second and last year working together. 

After the departure of Alonso and Vandoorne, the arrival of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz represented the new direction of McLaren, one that was based on youth and experience. When Sainz departed McLaren to join the Prancing Horse at the end of the 2020 season, Daniel Ricciardo was signed to provide the experience of a Grand Prix winner. 

McLaren registered their first race win in 11 years with a historic 1-2 at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix however this was to be the only highlight for the Australian driver. Ricciardo’s underwhelming performances and failure to adapt to the new ground-effects regulations saw an early termination of his contract at the end of 2022 when he was replaced by fellow Australian, Oscar Piastri. 

Ricciardo and Norris celebrating the team’s incredible 1-2 at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix | Credit: Formula One

With their new driver line-up, it is clear that McLaren have prioritised youth and longevity. With Norris as the reigning world champion and Piastri as a seasoned Grand Prix-winner, both drivers are under long-term contracts with the team and have remained committed to the project despite the difficulties of 2023, the early part of 2024, and recently, their starting troubles in 2026. 

Although Mercedes proved to retain their advantage out in front this season, McLaren’s upgrade package introduced at the 2026 Miami Grand Prix has no doubt brought them back into contention. A double podium with Norris battling Antonelli for the race win will undoubtedly boost morale in the garage and back at Woking as well. If there has ever been a team to capitalise on the opportunity presented by an upgrade package in recent years, it is the reigning world champions. 

Norris and Piastri have stepped up and given McLaren some sensational results to help them to consecutive WCC titles | Credit: Formula One

With the fourth round of the 2026 championship complete, McLaren have made a huge step forward in their aim to fight for race wins once again. Brown’s philosophy of promoting and hiring the right people for the right positions, of utilising the state of the art facilities at the MTC and retaining the services of Norris and Piastri might be the solution to their current troubles. 

From an almost sponsor-less car with a struggling engine in 2018 to back-to-back World Constructors’ Championships as well as the Drivers’ Championship last year, the McLaren resurgence is certainly one for the history books.

Edited by Meghana Sree