McLaren takes its 2027 front wing to Interlagos as fight for third slips away

Kimi Antonelli is the 2026 world champion. Lando Norris keeps the number one on his McLaren for four more races (assuming Kimi takes number one), and his team arrives in Brazil with a front wing built as much for next February as for Sunday.

McLaren will run new parts on the MCL40 at this weekend's São Paulo Grand Prix, covering the front wing, rear wing and several floor components. The front wing carries the most weight. Peter Prodromou, the team's chief technical officer for aerodynamics, confirmed the concept will carry over into the launch specification of the 2027 car.

He didn't frame the package as a write-off for this year, though. "The season isn't over yet: these upgrades are designed to improve the car now and help us in our fight for third in the championship," Prodromou said.

So there are two jobs. Win back ground in 2026 and test a 2027 idea on track before the winter.

From Budapest high to fourth-best

Think back to the summer. McLaren's big Hungary upgrade put Norris on the top step in Budapest, then again at Zandvoort. Two wins on the bounce. Woking looked back in business.

Then the form faded.

A second comprehensive package landed in Baku, where McLaren reintroduced its "H-wing" rear wing from Monza. Austin brought what chief designer Rob Marshall called a "modest" set of parts aimed at fixing braking problems. Neither stopped the slide.

The numbers make grim reading for the papaya camp:

• Fourth-fastest car across the last four qualifying sessions
• An average of 0.511s off pole
• An average of 0.236s behind the third-quickest team
• 59 points over the last five rounds, against Red Bull's 152

After Singapore, McLaren held third by seven points, 339 to 332. Two races later, Red Bull sits 17 points clear. A 24-point swing in a fortnight.

Verstappen's revival changes the maths

Most of the damage comes from one man. Max Verstappen won in Mexico City, holding off Lewis Hamilton by 0.799s, for his third victory in four races. The win lifted him to second in the drivers' standings. Antonelli took third on the day and, with it, the title, becoming the youngest champion in F1 history.

Norris finished fifth, 12 seconds behind Verstappen. On paper, a decent afternoon. The outgoing champion wasn't fooled. He pointed to Baku as proof McLaren still lacks pace at certain circuits, and he doesn't expect a sudden turnaround if the calendar returns to tracks where the car struggled.

"I don't want to rely on a bit of hope and luck on performance," Norris said.

Fair enough. Mexico's altitude and low grip reward a particular set-up, and one strong Sunday hides plenty.

Why Interlagos suits a test

Prodromou called São Paulo a fairly representative track, and the team has history there. Norris won the 2025 race, the MCL39's final victory. Interlagos mixes a long full-throttle run with a twisty middle sector, so the data should translate to other venues better than Monaco or Monza would.

There's risk, too. Team principal Andrea Stella warned in October the late-season parts carrying 2027 ideas might not work first time. A concept tuned for next year's car won't always sit comfortably on this one. If the wing misbehaves, McLaren loses points now to gain knowledge for later. Not ideal when you're chasing third.

McLaren also flagged before Mexico that the bigger packages would arrive in Brazil and Las Vegas, so expect more new parts on the Strip.

Four rounds remain: Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Red Bull holds the form and the points. McLaren has a new wing and a theory. By Saturday evening in São Paulo, you'll know which one counts for more.