The mood inside the McLaren Technology Center in Woking this week was a curious blend of frustration and defiance.
Two races into the 2026 season, the reigning champions find themselves staring up at their rivals rather than dictating the pace – a sharp contrast to the dominance that delivered a double-title banner campaign just a year ago.
Brown, ever the master motivator, bypassed the technical jargon to deliver a direct, emotional message to his squad. He made it clear that while rivals Mercedes and Ferrari currently hold the upper hand under the 2026 regulations, the DNA of the team remains unchanged.
“We’ve got the two best drivers in the world, we’ve got the best racing team in the world, we’ve got the best culture in a racing team, so let’s just get on with it, go to Japan, race these cars – we’ll all continue to do what we do,” he declared, his voice echoing through the glass-walled facility.
Despite the pace advantage currently enjoyed by the Silver Arrows, Brown insisted that the podium’s top step isn't a distant memory, but an imminent destination.
“I’m looking forward to when we win races,” he continued. “I guarantee you when we win our next race, which will be sooner rather than later, we’re not going to be thinking about speed traces or batteries or anything, we’re going to be, ‘We’re winning Grand Prix races’.”
Lessons from the growing pains
While Brown provided the inspiration, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella provided the sober technical perspective.
The 2026 season has introduced complex new power units and aero maps, and every lost kilometer in China was a blow to their development curve.
Stella was candid about the cost of their recent failures while acknowledging F1’s current hierarchy.
“The most detrimental aspect of not being able to participate is the points in the championship,” he said.
“While at the moment Mercedes seem to be in their own category, and we are a little closer to Ferrari, we obviously race with the ambition to compete for important results.”
The missed opportunities in Shanghai were particularly stinging for a team used to clinical execution.
“We are just losing ground. These points could have been important at the end of the season. So, the most important shortcoming of what happened [in China] is not scoring the points,” the Italian explained.
“It’s also quite regrettable and disappointing for our fans and for our partners from a commercial and a technical point of view. So, there’s obviously several downsides – and every lap is important in 2026.”
However, the silver lining lies in the data. Even in a truncated weekend, the team believes they have unlocked secrets to the new hybrid power units that could flip the script in Japan.
“At the same time, I think we are learning quite rapidly,” Stella concluded. “With what we have learned in Australia, in the Sprint [in China], we think we are actually in a good position now, especially in terms of exploiting the power unit.”
The climb to the top step of the podium is steep, but if Brown’s conviction is any indication, the papaya cars won't be staying in the shadows for long.
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