Mercedes has admitted it was impressed by Lando Norris’ standout performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with the Silver Arrows acknowledging the impact of McLaren’s latest upgrade package while continuing to focus on improving its own reliability and performance.
Key Takeaways from Mercedes' Analysis:
- Mercedes praised Lando Norris’ dominant victory with McLaren’s upgraded MCL40.
- McLaren’s redesigned floor played a key role in improving performance at the Hungaroring.
- Ferrari and McLaren have closed the gap after Mercedes’ dominant start to the 2026 season.
- Mercedes is working on reliability issues and planning future upgrades for the second half of the campaign.
McLaren’s Upgrade Package Makes Immediate Impact
Norris ended Mercedes’ perfect pole position streak in the 2026 season at the Hungaroring before delivering a dominant race victory for McLaren, securing the team’s first Grand Prix win of the year. The result highlighted how quickly the competitive order in Formula 1 can shift, with Ferrari and McLaren now challenging Mercedes after introducing major upgrades of their own.
McLaren’s impressive Hungarian Grand Prix victory came after the team introduced a redesigned floor on its Mercedes-powered MCL40. The upgrade caught the attention of Mercedes, who analysed the improvements during its in-house podcast, the Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show.
Mercedes deputy technical director Simone Resta acknowledged that the new floor likely contributed to McLaren’s improved performance but also pointed out that Norris’ individual execution played an important role.
According to Resta, McLaren has been competitive throughout the season, although performance differences between its two drivers have fluctuated. He highlighted that Norris appeared particularly comfortable with the car setup, tyre management, and challenging Hungaroring conditions.
Mercedes' Early Dominance Faces New Challenges
Mercedes began the 2026 season in commanding fashion, winning the opening six Grands Prix from pole position. However, the competitive landscape has changed significantly as rivals continue to develop.
Despite the growing pressure, Mercedes believes the increasingly close competition was expected under the new chassis and power unit regulations. Resta explained that the development race has created a more exciting championship, with different teams finding performance gains at different stages of the season.
Reliability Issues Become Mercedes’ Biggest Concern
While Mercedes remains at the top of the championship standings, reliability problems have become a major challenge. Power unit issues and other technical setbacks have cost the team valuable points during the first half of the season.
Resta insisted that Mercedes is tackling these problems with a focused and methodical approach, using its experience and internal processes to identify solutions. The team’s priority is not simply reacting emotionally to setbacks, but carefully analysing each issue and implementing the right fixes as quickly as possible.
Mercedes Plans Strategic Upgrade Push
Deputy team principal Bradley Lord revealed that the team is discussing when to introduce new developments from its factory and wind tunnel, while carefully coordinating chassis upgrades with potential power unit improvements. Mercedes is determined not to rush the process and risk compromising future progress. Instead, the team aims to introduce upgrades at the right moments to maximise performance gains.
The Championship Battle Is Heating Up
After recovering 26 points over the last three races, Ferrari now sits 72 points behind championship leader Mercedes heading into the summer break. With McLaren and Ferrari closing the gap and Mercedes working to solve reliability concerns, the second half of the 2026 Formula 1 season promises an exciting battle between the sport’s leading teams.
