LANDO NORRIS DEBUTS 2026 MCLAREN MCL40 WITH WORLD CHAMPION NO. 1
World Champion Lando Norris describes his first laps in the 2026 McLaren MCL40 as "surreal" during a successful shakedown in Barcelona.
Lando Norris couldn’t help but call it “pretty surreal” as he took the McLaren 2026 F1 car out for its first laps—this time as world champion.
The new MCL40, in a sharp black test livery, hit the track for the first time in Barcelona. McLaren showed up as the reigning champs, joining F1’s private shakedown on Wednesday.
Norris looked right at home with the number 1 on his car. He put in 77 laps and clocked a best time of 1:18.307, which landed him third on the timing sheets.
“Honestly, it just felt good to be back, and seeing the number one on my car is still pretty wild. It’s a cool feeling,” Norris said, looking back on his first proper outing in the new McLaren.
“This is the first day we’ve had the car on track, the first time anyone’s seen it all together. It didn’t even exist as one piece until this morning, so seeing it finally built is amazing. You see all the hard work from everyone come together, and then I get to do the fun bit—drive it. Turned out to be a decent day.”
He explained that most of the day was about getting a first feel for the car—learning how it all works, running through the checklist, making sure everything does what it’s supposed to. “We basically just tried to figure stuff out, check that things are working, and start building up a picture of what we’ve got.”
When asked about his first thoughts on the MCL40—built for F1’s new rules—Norris said, “It feels pretty different. Cornering speeds are definitely down, that’s for sure.
“But when it comes to acceleration and straight-line speed, the car feels quicker than last year. Getting up to 340, 350 is a lot faster than before.
“Still, the battery and power unit are both more complicated now. There’s just more to figure out. Anything new takes a bit of time to get your head around and find the best way to manage it.”
Rob Marshall, McLaren’s chief designer, seemed happy with how things went. “The car ran well today, no real issues, nothing scary,” he said. “Of course, there are always little gremlins, but we sorted those out as we went.
“We use this week as a shakedown, just to get everything reliable and running in all sorts of conditions.
“We’re pushing the car in every way we can, and once we get to Bahrain, we’ll start fine-tuning. It’s so cold here that proper lap times are pretty much impossible anyway.”
Oscar Piastri gets his turn in the MCL40 on Thursday, and then he’ll share the car with Norris for the final day on Friday.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
