Brown confident McLaren will be ‘competitive’ in 2026

McLaren CEO Zak Brown expresses optimism regarding the team's competitiveness for the 2026 season, despite the significant technical regulation changes. Following the Barcelona shakedown, Brown noted that early indications suggest McLaren will be strong, although he emphasized it's premature to make definitive predictions. He observed that the top four teams appeared very competitive. Brown also highlighted the "fascinating" implications of the new energy deployment rules, suggesting that drivers mastering lap maximization will be crucial to avoid being "freight-trained." He anticipates greater clarity on team performance after the upcoming pre-season testing in Bahrain, where Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will further test the MCL40.