McLaren to Skip Day One of Barcelona 2026 Shakedown, Starts Testing on Day Two or Three

McLaren has confirmed it will sit out the first day of the five‑day Barcelona pre‑season shakedown for its 2026 MCL40, opting to begin track work on day two or three. The move is part of a deliberate development plan that favours system reliability and incremental performance gains over early data.

Why it matters:

• Extra development time helps the team integrate 2026 regs (new chassis, power unit, tyres) without rushing.
• Allows post‑dyno fine‑tuning of reliability after AVL testing in Austria.
• Delaying entry reduces media pressure and avoids committing the car’s baseline before all systems are validated.

The details:

• Barcelona shakedown runs Jan 26‑30; each team must complete three days of mileage.
• McLaren will start on day 2 (Jan 27) or day 3 (Jan 28) and run three days total.
• A day counts when a car crosses the pit exit line; days need not be consecutive.
• Testing focus is on system integration and reliability, not outright lap times.
• Other teams (Cadillac, Audi, Alpine) have already used early filming days for shakedown.

What's next:

• Data collected will shape the MCL40’s setup for the Australian Grand Prix.
• Stella says the programme is ‘on plan’ and the team expects a competitive package after testing.