McLaren to maximise development time before running new F1 car

LONDON, Jan 22 : Formula One champions McLaren plan to wait until the second or third day of pre-season testing in Barcelona next week before running their car in order to allow maximum development time.

The test at the Circuit de Catalunya will take place behind closed doors, without media access, and be the first time all teams - now up to 11 with debutants Cadillac - have had their 2026 cars on the track together. 

Although held over five days, teams are limited to three days each.

McLaren Principal Andrea Stella told reporters in a technical briefing that his team had faced an "unprecedented" amount of work to prepare for one of the sport's biggest regulation changes.

"The sheer volume of redesigning...through the last 20 months at McLaren has been probably the biggest design or in general dealing with a new car project that I was part of," the Italian said.

"This all makes it extremely interesting to see how the cars will perform, how the competitiveness order will be somehow mixed up.

"We are champions but we don't carry the being champions into '26 ... everyone will start from zero."

Formula One is entering a new engine era with changed aerodynamics and tyres affecting how drivers race.

Stella said McLaren's 'ambitious' programme was on plan and the car was on a dyno at a facility in Austria before being transported to Spain.

Some other teams - notably Cadillac, Audi and Renault-owned Alpine - have already run their new cars in private shakedown sessions.  

"We plan to start testing either in day two or day three," said Stella. "We will not be testing on day one. We wanted to give ourselves as much time as possible for development.

"If you are early on track you will have the reassurance of knowing what you need to know as