With the 2026 Formula 1 season set to begin in two weeks at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne’s Albert Park, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has conceded that Ferrari and Mercedes currently have an advantage. The announcement comes after a series of pre-season tests featuring strong performances from Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull, although Aston Martin faced multiple technical setbacks.
Testing Highlights and Standout Performances
During the recent testing sessions, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc recorded the fastest lap, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. As the defending world champion, Norris secured his first title in 2025 by narrowly defeating Verstappen by two points. Despite McLaren’s positive showings, Stella indicated that Ferrari and Mercedes appear to hold a slight performance edge going into the new season.
Stella explained,
“I would say that this test has confirmed that Ferrari and Mercedes look like the teams to beat. I think McLaren is not far [away]. I think it’s good to see that we are part of the top four group. But I think these two teams, they seem to have shown a little bit of an advantage.”
Insights From Race Simulations During Testing
Stella highlighted the significance of race simulations as a more precise indicator of each car’s genuine performance, mentioning the recent runs by Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen. He noted that conditions such as the time of day can influence lap times, but the data still points to a competitive gap.
“There is a race simulation, it was I think yesterday [Thursday], Oscar [Piastri] and [Max] Verstappen. It happened at the similar time of the day, and it was a similar pace. Often the race simulation is actually where you can more accurately see what the genuine performance of cars is.”
– Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal
He added,
“The reason why I think we have to be careful is that dependent on the time of the day, then the race simulation may be quite a lot faster. Like now Lando, he was performing pretty strongly in the race simulation. But at the same time, probably the end of day three was the fastest time the track has been across the six days.”
“So, difficult. I think McLaren and Red Bull probably very similar. Ferrari and Mercedes a step ahead.”
– Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal
Outlook for Norris and McLaren in 2026
As the countdown to the Australian Grand Prix begins, Lando Norris enters the 2026 season as the reigning world champion facing strong competition from Ferrari and Mercedes. McLaren’s placement in the leading group reflects solid progress but also highlights the challenge in closing the gap to the top contenders. The upcoming races will reveal whether Norris and his team can overcome the current disadvantage and contend for another title in a fiercely competitive field.
