Lando Norris Unveils McLaren MCL40 at Barcelona F1 Test in Surreal First Day

Lando Norris and McLaren gave Formula 1 fans the first glimpse of their 2026 challenger, the MCL40, during the Barcelona pre-season shakedown test, marking a milestone moment for the reigning World Champions. After skipping the opening days of the test in order to maximise development work, McLaren finally rolled its new car onto the asphalt at the Circuit de Catalunya, with Norris completing the first laps behind the wheel.

Norris, fresh from clinching his maiden Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship, described the day as a “decent day” of running as he got to grips with the radically redesigned MCL40 and saw it fully assembled on track for the first time. Having completed 77 laps, the British driver passed the car over to teammate Oscar Piastri for further running on subsequent days of the test.

A highlight of the occasion was seeing Norris carry the number “1” on his McLaren for the first time in his career, a symbolic tradition afforded to the reigning world champion. The experience of seeing the #1 across his car and racing gear, Norris said, still felt “pretty surreal” as he adapted to life at the top of the sport.

The MCL40 showcased in a special black and grey testing livery for its Barcelona debut represents McLaren’s bid to defend both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships under the sport’s major 2026 technical regulation changes. These new rules have brought substantial adjustments to car design, aerodynamics and power unit deployment, meaning teams effectively start the season with a clean slate.

McLaren’s decision to delay its on-track appearance until the third day of the shakedown was strategic. Teams are permitted only three days of running over the five-day shakedown window, and McLaren opted to spend extra time in development and on dynos before committing the MCL40 to track action. This approach underlines the complexity of the 2026 chassis and power unit redesign, which team principal Andrea Stella described as “unprecedented.”

While lap times at the private test aren’t officially released, the focus for McLaren remains on reliability checks, data gathering and baseline performance insights rather than outright pace. With Mercedes-powered rivals like Mercedes AMG and Alpine also clocking substantial mileage at the Barcelona test, the early part of the F1 season looks set to be highly competitive.

The MCL40 itself carries the legacy of its predecessor the MCL3 which helped McLaren secure its double championship success the previous season. While the full race livery for the MCL40 will be revealed later in Bahrain, the Barcelona appearance offered a first look at a car McLaren hopes will continue its winning momentum.

With more running to come in Barcelona and further pre-season testing scheduled in Bahrain, all eyes are on how the MCL40 performs under the new regulatory landscape ahead of the 2026 season opener in Melbourne. Whether McLaren can defend its titles with this latest machine remains one of the most intriguing storylines as Formula 1 enters a bold new era.