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McLaren will finally receive Mercedesâ latest Formula 1 power unit at this weekendâs Belgian Grand Prix, becoming the last of Mercedes HPPâs four customer teams to take the updated engine.
Alpine and Williams introduced the unit before the British Grand Prix, while Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli had already used it in Austria after race-ending failures in Canada and Barcelona. The upgrade is not intended to deliver a performance gain. Its purpose is to improve reliability.
McLarenâs decision to wait had prompted questions during the Silverstone weekend. Andrea Stella said Alpine and Williams were more âin needâ of the engine at that stage, while Zak Brown explained that the timing did not make sense for McLaren within its power-unit usage cycle. The team had also endured recent reliability concerns, including Lando Norrisâ battery issue in Monaco and power-unit glitches that prevented both McLarens from starting in China.
The decision to proceed at Spa follows the teamâs previously stated reasoning, detailed in McLarenâs explanation for waiting for Mercedesâ reliability upgrade.
Both Norris and Oscar Piastri will use a new internal combustion engine in Belgium. It will be their third example of the season, with each driver allowed four engines without a grid penalty. McLaren will also evaluate a new rear wing during practice.
The team previously brought a âMacarenaâ style rear wing to the Austrian Grand Prix but chose not to run it because of concerns. The Spa assembly is described as an upgrade that forms part of the MCL40âs development path.
Applied engineering technical director Neil Houldley said McLaren had prepared extensively through simulation for what he expects to be a demanding weekend, particularly in terms of energy management.
Houldley said the rear-wing update should add âa bit of performanceâ but cautioned that it would not produce a major change in competitiveness after the teamâs difficult British Grand Prix, where pure performance was the principal concern.
He also described the Belgian Grand Prix as âincredibly challengingâ from an energy-management perspective. McLaren anticipates significant energy demands, while an unpredictable forecast could create an opportunity to run the car in wet, low-grip conditions and gather valuable data for the remainder of the season.
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.