With less than 48 hours to go before the Bahrain pre-season tests, McLaren has officially revealed the 2026 livery of the MCL40. There’s no dramatic change or break from recent tradition: the car for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri remains faithful to the signature papaya and carbon black theme, with the orange now more prominent, especially at the front.
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Papaya takes center stage
“We are thrilled to unveil the livery of our 2026 car from our second home, Bahrain,” said McLaren CEO Zak Brown. “The iconic papaya continues to define the MCL40, following our tradition of carrying forward winning liveries into the next season. Performance on track remains at the heart of the project even as we explore creative solutions: we’ve balanced stylistic direction with aerodynamic requirements to deliver a 2026 car that makes a strong visual impact.”
The base colors follow the scheme from last season. Papaya dominates the front and extends along the sides, while black remains structural at the rear and around the airbox, framing the cooling intakes above the power unit. A diagonal stripe on the engine cover breaks up the orange continuity, adding a graphical detail that lightens the bodywork without altering the car’s identity.
Preparing for a new era
Team Principal Andrea Stella added: “2026 marks a new challenge with the start of a new regulatory era in Formula 1. We approach the championship as an independent constructor against five major manufacturers, all determined to beat us. We have the experience from past successes, but the entire grid starts from zero, and past achievements no longer count. We will continue to focus on creating the conditions for success as we prepare for the toughest challenge yet. It will be an exciting season for fans, and we can’t wait to hit the track.”
From shakedown to Sakhir testing
The MCL40 first ran in late January at the Barcelona shakedown at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, still in a full-black configuration. During that session, the team used three of the five available days, starting with a complicated setup and progressively improving over the following two days, focusing mainly on systems and aerodynamic correlation between the simulator and track.
Now the definitive version hits the track for the first filming day of the season in Sakhir. Norris will drive in the morning to cover part of the 200 km allowed for promotional purposes, then hand over to Piastri in the afternoon. The following day, official testing begins: Piastri will drive for a full day, followed by Norris, with the third day split into morning and afternoon sessions.
