McLaren to change ‘the entire car’ as they announce significant revamp of all aerodynamic parts with a triple upgrade

McLaren has been able to secure just 17 points with the MCL60.

McLaren to change ‘the entire car’ as they announce significant revamp of all aerodynamic parts with a triple upgrade

Andrea Stella (Credits: SI)

McLaren will unveil their upgrade package gradually across three races leading up to the summer break, while other Formula 1 team typically introduce their car upgrades before a single race. The upcoming upgrades for the McLaren MCL60 are anticipated to have a transformative effect on the current version of the car, comparable to a comprehensive overhaul, according to team boss Andrea Stella.

Notably, the team had made substantial revisions to the car’s floor as part of the initial changes implemented before the Azerbaijan GP. Stella emphasized that the chosen development path for McLaren signifies a strong emphasis on aggressive advancements, driven by the recognition of a crucial necessity for a “fundamental” redesign of the car.

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Andrea Stella told Motorsport.com, “Most of the upgrades we will see over the course of the following events – so there will be a major overhaul of the car that will be delivered across Austria, UK and Hungary. At the start of the season, we realized that the car needed a fundamental redesign, so this redesign is actually interesting. I would say pretty much every single aerodynamic part [will change] – that’s why the upgrades will be spread over the course of a few races. It will be decently noticeable.”

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He added, “We had to redesign even some parts under the bodywork. That’s also why it took some time to be in condition to deliver these upgrades. I would say pretty much the entire car.” Despite not having undergone testing in the simulator, Stella expects an improvement in downforce.

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McLaren’s torrid F1 2023 season continued at the Canadian GP

McLaren's MCL60 via Autosport
McLaren’s MCL60 via Autosport

So far this season, McLaren has struggled to compete with midfield cars and has often been wrestling with the backmarkers such as Williams, Haas, and AlphaTauri. Point-scoring positions have been a rarity, with the car simply not being at a competitive level with their drivers also struggling to get a handle on it.

The Australian GP scored them the majority of their points. However, it is worth noting that only 12 cars finished the race. Going forward, Spain showed promise, with Lando Norris qualifying P3 on the grid. However, a lap one incident ruined his race, making him pointless. The recent Canada GP was no kinder, as the drivers only finished P11 and P13.


Lando Norris secured a ninth-place finish. However, his chances of earning points for himself and McLaren were dashed due to a five-second time penalty. The penalty was incurred for driving at an excessively slow pace during the Safety Car period. Oscar Piastri started P8 but attributed his P12 finish to making mistakes.

McLaren stands at sixth in the Constructors’ championship, having only secured 17 points, and stands 27 behind rivals Alpine. Their goal will be set to narrow that gap with their upcoming upgrades in Austria.

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