Formula 1 will undergo its biggest regulation change in more than a decade in 2026, with new power unit rules introduced alongside a major aerodynamic reset.
As a Mercedes customer team, McLaren will integrate the German manufacturer’s power unit and gearbox into its own chassis, but Stella acknowledged that there were still many unknowns across the grid.
Despite that uncertainty, Stella believed McLaren’s recent recovery showed the team was well prepared for another reset.
Speaking to media, Stella highlighted how McLaren had transformed its competitiveness during the current ground-effect era after a difficult start in 2023.
“The technical team ultimately conceived, designed and developed a car from being the ninth or tenth best at the start of 2023,” Stella said. “It became one of the best cars by the end of that season and then progressively moved to the front.”
McLaren’s turnaround was driven by a series of major upgrades and a restructured technical operation, which Stella said proved the strength of the team’s processes rather than reliance on a specific set of regulations.
“For once, I would like to make a special mention of the technical team,” he added. “These achievements are the result of the development of the entire team, but the technical group deserves particular credit.”
Stella then named six senior figures he felt were central to that progress: technical director for aerodynamics Peter Prodromou, chief designer Rob Marshall, technical director for engineering Neil Houldey, design director Mark Ingham, director of aerodynamics and chief of staff Giuseppe Pesce, and technical director for performance Mark Temple.
“The technical team at McLaren is particularly strong,” Stella said. “This is one of the strongest technical departments I have been part of in my 26 years in Formula 1.”
While the 2026 rules will render many current solutions obsolete, Stella stressed that strong working methods would carry over.
“The specifics of the regulations may change,” he explained, “but the standards, the approach to development and the way we work absolutely carry into the future. That is why we feel optimistic heading into 2026.”
For McLaren, the confidence is rooted less in past results and more in the belief that its technical foundations are now firmly in place.
