McLaren Returns to Old Front Wing After Canadian Sprint Qualifying Struggles
McLaren swapped its new front wing for the older spec after it underperformed in sprint qualifying, letting Norris and Piastri qualify third and fourth.
TL;DR
McLaren reverted to its previous front wing after the new design underperformed in sprint qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix, helping Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secure third and fourth places. The switch was made to boost driver confidence and unlock more performance.
Context
Prior to Canada, McLaren rolled out a major upgrade package that began in Miami and continued in Montreal, aiming to complete the first big set of updates for its 2026 car. The package included a newly designed front wing intended to improve airflow and overall downforce.
During Friday’s sole practice session, Lando Norris ran the new wing while Oscar Piastri started with the older specification and later tried the new version. Norris reported feeling the least comfortable with the new piece, and both drivers opted to revert to the older front wing for the sprint qualifying session.
McLaren’s technical director Neil Houldey said the new front wing was not delivering the expected performance, so the team chose the previous specification to give the drivers more confidence and allow them to unlock additional performance.
Key Facts
After the change, Norris qualified third and Piastri fourth for the sprint race, and both drivers will continue using the older front wing for the remainder of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.
Piastri told reporters the team felt more comfortable with the older wing, echoing the technical director’s assessment that the switch improved confidence and performance.
Although the new wing is part of a broader upgrade that McLaren believes has helped the car, removing it reduces the ultimate performance potential because the rest of the package was designed around its airflow.
What It Means
The decision highlights a trade‑off between gaining immediate driver confidence and sacrificing the peak performance promised by the new aerodynamic package. McLaren gains a more stable platform for the sprint and feature races but loses some of the downforce the new wing was meant to provide.
Mercedes showed a strong advantage in sprint qualifying after introducing its own 2026 updates, indicating that McLaren’s rollout may need further refinement to compete at the highest level.
Looking ahead, Norris suggested the new front wing could return after the Monaco Grand Prix, targeting the higher‑grip Barcelona circuit later in June, where the team hopes to better evaluate the upgrade in conditions closer to wind‑tunnel predictions.
The next race will show whether McLaren can reintegrate the new wing without losing the confidence boost seen in Canada, and how the updated package performs on a more conventional track.
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