mclaren f1 racing: Spain first, Monza next, and the rear-wing test that could shape the gap
McLaren heads to the Spanish Grand Prix on September 13, 2026 third in the constructors’ championship on 287 points, with Lando Norris fourth on 171 and Oscar Piastri seventh on 116. The McLaren pair are split by 55 points, while the team trails Ferrari by 59 and leads Red Bull by 83.
That live position is tied to a clear development thread. McLaren brought a significant upgrade package to the Hungarian Grand Prix and trialled its upside-down “Macarena” rear wing there, with the H-Wing — its version of the rotating rear wing — set to arrive at Monza, according to Formula1.com and McLaren’s 2026 team release.
Where McLaren stands now before Spain
Formula1.com’s 2026 standings show Mercedes leading, Ferrari second, McLaren third and Red Bull fourth. McLaren has 287 points and 2 wins, leaving it 59 points behind Ferrari and 83 points ahead of Red Bull.
| Position | Team | Points | Gap to McLaren |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 468 | 181 ahead of McLaren |
| 2 | Ferrari | 346 | 59 ahead of McLaren |
| 3 | McLaren | 287 | 0 |
| 4 | Red Bull | 204 | 83 behind McLaren |
The drivers’ table is tighter inside McLaren, but the team’s best-placed driver is still Norris. Formula1.com shows Norris fourth on 171 points and 2 wins, with Piastri seventh on 116 and 0 wins, leaving the pair 55 points apart.
| Driver | Championship Position | Points | Wins | Gap to Teammate | Gap to Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lando Norris | 4 | 171 | 2 | 55 ahead of Piastri | 96 behind Antonelli |
| Oscar Piastri | 7 | 116 | 0 | 55 behind Norris | 151 behind Antonelli |
How McLaren’s rear-wing plan fits the points chase
The standings matter because McLaren’s season has already been shaped by a series of aero steps. Formula1.com and McLaren’s own 2026 team updates say the team brought a significant upgrade package to Hungary, then trialled the upside-down “Macarena” rear wing there.
Monza is the next marked step. McLaren is set to introduce the H-Wing, its version of the rotating rear wing, at the Italian Grand Prix, which makes the Spanish round a checkpoint before the next defined technical move.
| Event/Race | Update or Wing Concept | What Was Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Hungarian Grand Prix | Significant upgrade package | McLaren brought a major in-season update |
| Hungarian Grand Prix | “Macarena” rear wing | McLaren trialled its upside-down rear-wing concept |
| Italian Grand Prix at Monza | H-Wing | McLaren is set to introduce its version of the rotating rear wing |
That is why Spain matters even without a major new part attached to it. McLaren is trying to turn a season of rear-wing experimentation into a steadier points return, and the next chance to measure that progress comes before the Monza aero step.
What Norris and Piastri mean for the rest of the season
Norris remains the best-placed McLaren driver in fourth, and his 171 points and 2 wins give him the stronger individual platform. He is still 96 points behind championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli, but he is also the driver carrying McLaren’s strongest position in the standings.
Piastri’s role is different. Seventh place and 116 points leave him 55 behind Norris, so McLaren’s internal split is now part of the wider constructors’ chase as well.
McLaren’s 1000th-race release with the LEGO Group and McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team lists 23 Formula 1 world championships and more than 200 Grands Prix wins, but the immediate 2026 task is more practical: close a 59-point gap to Ferrari before Monza’s next aero step. The next race is Round 14, the Spanish Grand Prix, scheduled for 2026-09-13 13:00:00Z at Madring in Madrid, Spain.