McLaren target Mercedes weaknesses - Miami development push begins

McLaren have emerged from the Japanese Grand Prix convinced that Mercedes are not invincible, and the team is now sharpening its focus on where the championship leaders can be challenged during the season hiatus.

Suzuka reveals opportunity and limitation

Piastri’s ability to hold his own against George Russell and the Mercedes package, even in the wake of a clear strategy misstep, reinforced a crucial takeaway inside the team: Mercedes can be beaten.

That belief has now become central to McLaren’s development mindset.

Mercedes is "not invincible", says Temple

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, McLaren’s technical director of performance, Mark Temple, explained how Suzuka reshaped the team’s internal outlook.

“Honestly, that’s very difficult to say. And people who know me will know that I don’t like to speculate about those kinds of things too much. I always think it’s better to just focus on what’s in front of you and what you control, what you can do about it.”

Temple pointed to a simple but powerful fact.

“But I will say, obviously, in Japan, Mercedes didn’t finish first and second. So they have their weak points. Absolutely, they’re beatable.”

While stopping short of bold predictions, Temple made it clear that McLaren see opportunity rather than inevitability at the front.

“Hopefully, we can be the ones who are able to beat them. But I think they’re certainly not invincible, that’s for sure.”

Development window and targeted upgrades

Temple also highlighted how the current calendar creates a natural development opportunity.

“For sure, the fact that there’s a gap means that it’s a natural place to add components because there are two races that you can’t add stuff to. So we’ll be aiming to bring some new bits to the car.”

The ambition is clear, even if the outcome remains uncertain.

“Hopefully, it’s a big step, but let’s see. I think we’re happy with the development we’re doing. Will it be enough to jump past any teams? I honestly don’t know. At this point, it’s all about hope.”

Chassis development takes priority

While incremental gains are expected from the power unit, Temple was candid about where McLaren believe the real performance gains will come from.

“For sure, there will be some power units, performance increments. I would be surprised if those are large.”

Instead, the focus is firmly on the chassis.

“I think the bulk of performance will come from the chassis development because the power units are much more stable… it’s harder to add performance to those things in season.”

Temple noted that McLaren’s aerodynamic development remains relatively young, offering scope for continued gains.

“On the chassis side, we were only able to start working in the aerodynamics in the wind tunnel and CFD at the beginning of last year… it’s still F1, there’s always more performance to find.”

Momentum building toward Miami

While early fears suggested the new regulations might expose McLaren’s weaknesses, the team’s current development direction paints a more optimistic picture. There is a belief that meaningful progress is still to come.

The immediate hope is that these efforts translate into a tangible step forward by the time the paddock reaches Miami — a moment McLaren see as a potential turning point in their pursuit of Mercedes.