P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren completed the first fire-up of its 2026 Formula 1 car on Friday, The Race can reveal
McLaren, the Formula 1 world champion, has successfully conducted the first fire-up of its 2026 car at its Woking factory. The team, led by Andrea Stella, ensured the new MCL40 came to life ahead of the upcoming pre-season test in Barcelona. Despite a competitive 2025 campaign, McLaren aimed to balance last year’s success with preparing for significant rule changes in 2026. The public will have to wait until the Bahrain event on February 9 to see McLaren’s new challenger, driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. In the meantime, McLaren will participate in a private test in Barcelona before the official open test in Bahrain on January 31. The team is confident in its technical capabilities and looks forward to the 2026 season under the leadership of Stella.
