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McLaren puzzled by straight-line speed deficit
McLaren faces a conundrum: despite sharing the same power unit as Mercedes, they suffer a significant speed disadvantage on straightaways.
By Ruben Smit - 2026-07-01T15:00:03.000Z - 1 min read
McLaren is struggling with a notable straight-line speed deficit compared to rivals Mercedes. Although both teams utilize the exact same power unit, team principal Andrea Stella observes a gap that requires clarification.
According to Stella, McLaren's MCL40 loses approximately one and a half tenths of a second to the Mercedes W17 on straightaways alone. This contributes to a larger total lap-time deficit estimated at three to four tenths.
The team will conduct a deeper investigation to determine the exact cause of this loss. Focus remains on identifying why an identical engine configuration still yields performance disparities across the fastest sections of the track.
The gaps suggest that aerodynamic efficiency or power unit deployment modes could be key factors. McLaren hopes detailed analysis will unravel the underlying mechanics and allow them to close the distance.