McLaren has arrived at the Hungaroring with a significant MCL40 development package for the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, introducing its first major upgrades since the Canadian Grand Prix. Two of the most notable solutions draw clear inspiration from Ferrari: a redesigned floor that follows the direction established by the SF-26 and an inverted movable rear wing based on the Scuderia’s so-called “Macarena” concept.
The new floor has already been seen in the McLaren garage in Budapest and bears an even stronger resemblance to Ferrari’s design than the team’s previous version. At the rear, meanwhile, McLaren has fitted its own interpretation of the inverted wing mechanism, although the team does not currently plan to use the system in the race. Ferrari has also introduced an upgraded Macarena rear wing on the SF-26 for the Hungaroring weekend.
McLaren Hungarian GP upgrade includes a Ferrari-style floor
McLaren’s new floor is an evolution of the specification introduced in Miami. Although there remain important differences between the two designs, the Woking team appears to be following Ferrari’s development path more closely than any other constructor.
The MCL40 now features a single horizontal bridge connecting the five vertical elements, creating what almost resembles a double-section entrance to the floor. Ferrari extended this horizontal structure further forwards at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, and the same area has now become more pronounced on McLaren’s latest specification.
However, McLaren has not simply copied Ferrari’s solution. The reigning world champions have reinterpreted the SF-26 floor philosophy according to the aerodynamic requirements and overall architecture of the MCL40.
The team has planned an extensive programme of data gathering and validation during free practice. Part of that work will be carried out by Leonardo Fornaroli, who will drive Oscar Piastri’s car equipped with the new components. The broader details of McLaren’s major MCL40 Hungarian GP upgrade underline the importance of the Budapest weekend for the car’s development.
Andrea Stella had previously described the updates being prepared by McLaren as corrections to the MCL40’s original concept. The team has revised the airflow structure beneath the floor, creating a different aerodynamic platform from which it hopes to extract additional performance through subsequent development packages.
McLaren introduces its version of Ferrari’s Macarena wing
The updated floor is not the only new component fitted to the MCL40 in Hungary. Oscar Piastri’s car has also appeared in the Hungaroring garage with a redesigned rear-wing actuator.
Instead of the two arms used by the conventional system, McLaren’s new arrangement has a single lever connected near the beginning of the upper profile. This mechanism allows the movable elements to flip over and takes inspiration from Ferrari’s Macarena concept.
McLaren has nevertheless chosen a different layout from Ferrari. The British team has retained a centrally mounted actuator rather than integrating the mechanism into the outer endplate. The wing profiles also appear to rotate backwards, following a direction similar to Red Bull’s interpretation, while the movable section of the SF-26 wing flips in the opposite direction.
McLaren intends to evaluate the inverted movable wing during free practice, but the team has already warned that several tests will be required before the design can be approved for race use. Its competitive debut is therefore expected to take place at a later event rather than during the Hungarian Grand Prix.
An inverted rear wing could provide McLaren with a valuable performance benefit. The MCL40 currently has a noticeable straight-line speed deficit to Mercedes despite both teams using the same power unit, making improved aerodynamic efficiency an important development target.
Andrea Stella has nevertheless stressed that the Macarena project must not distract McLaren from its main objective: improving the fundamental performance of the MCL40. The new wing remains an experimental item, while the revised floor represents part of a broader effort to strengthen the car’s underlying aerodynamic platform.
The evaluation will be particularly relevant at the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, where the tightly packed sequence of corners places a premium on aerodynamic stability and balance. Ferrari’s established SF-26 strength through low-speed corners also makes the comparison between the two development philosophies especially interesting at the Hungaroring.
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