No More Favourites: McLaren’s Upgrade Policy Shifts

McLaren shifts strategy on car upgrades, aiming to treat Norris and Piastri equally amid growing competitiveness in the championship fight.

McLaren is rethinking how it rolls out updates to its Formula 1 car. In previous seasons, the team often gave new parts to one driver first to compare old and new setups. But in 2025, that approach is being reconsidered.

Team Principal Andrea Stella explained that this year, the need for direct comparisons isn’t as critical:
“We have to assess what the upgrade really is,” Stella said. “If it’s something like a new front or rear wing, there’s no need to split the setups between drivers—because the impact is relatively small.”

In the past, big upgrades often came with significant mechanical changes under the car’s surface, making A/B testing more valuable. That’s not always the case now.

McLaren is preparing to introduce a new development package soon. While Stella didn’t give a timeline, he made it clear that the team is getting closer to pulling the trigger on these changes—just not in the immediate future.

One key reason behind this shift: McLaren wants to maintain fairness between its two young stars, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who could both be fighting at the sharp end of the grid.
“It also depends on our performance,” Stella noted. “If the car remains competitive, we’ll need to be more deliberate—making sure we don’t tip the balance or create any sense of unfairness between the drivers.”

The message is clear: McLaren is all in for performance, but not at the cost of team harmony.

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No More Favourites: McLaren’s Upgrade Policy Shifts
No More Favourites: McLaren’s Upgrade Policy Shifts