P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren has a unique plan for pre-season testing ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has revealed that their “plan A” for the team’s shakedown is scheduled for next week in Barcelona, during the official week of running for all teams. Unlike some of its competitors, McLaren has chosen not to conduct any running before arriving in Spain, and they will skip the first day of testing. Stella confirmed that McLaren will commence testing on the second or third day of next week’s official shakedown, as their 2026 car has been successfully built. Currently, the 2026 McLaren challenger is at AVL RACETECH in Austria for testing on the dyno. Stella outlined the team’s plan for Barcelona testing, emphasizing their aim to maximize development time by testing on either day two or day three for three consecutive days. The decision to delay testing until later in the week is seen as a strategic move by McLaren to optimize their performance during the limited testing period available.
