McLaren will skip the very first test day of the new Formula 1 season in Barcelona next week. Team principal Andrea Stella said that on Wednesday in Woking during a briefing with the international media.
“We will only run on day two of the Barcelona shakedown because we want to keep working on the car’s development for as long as possible. Each day counts,” Stella said. According to the Italian, that does not mean there is panic or concern at McLaren about the 2026 car. “This was always our plan; it’s a deliberate choice. Besides, a team can only be active on three of the five days and we chose to start on the second day.”
Stella says he is pleased with the development of the 2026 car so far. “We are on schedule and looking forward to the new season, which we will begin as champions. That doesn’t mean anything though: everyone starts from zero again.”
See the F1 calendar for 2026
