In an exciting turn of events for Formula 1, Gary Anderson has highlighted a particularly intriguing feature on Oscar Piastri's 2026 McLaren car that rivals should keep a close eye on.
Recently, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took their first exhilarating laps in McLaren's new vehicle designed according to the 2026 F1 regulations during a three-day shakedown test in Barcelona. Norris kicked off the test on Wednesday, as McLaren opted to sit out the initial days of the track action at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Piastri then took the wheel on Thursday, and the duo shared driving responsibilities as the test wrapped up on Friday.
Although a fuel system issue curtailed Piastri's time on Thursday, both drivers managed to accumulate substantial mileage on Friday. For McLaren, the priority was to gather data and experience rather than posting fast lap times at this early stage of testing for the new regulations.
So, who do you think will emerge as McLaren's leading driver in 2026—Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri? 🤔
👇 Join the conversation by sharing your thoughts in the comments section below!
Gary Anderson, the former technical director for Jordan F1, has pointed out the "exciting" turning vanes located beneath the nose of McLaren's 2026 car. These vanes were a standout feature during the team's unveiling in Barcelona, showcasing a sophisticated design that follows preliminary renderings released earlier, which featured a basic black livery. Notably, the full livery won't be revealed until February 9, adding to the anticipation.
Anderson remarked on The Race, calling attention to the vanes descending from the surface beneath the nose cone, dubbing them "snowplough" vanes due to their distinctive appearance. He observed that each vane appears to have a slightly different configuration.
He explained, "If these vanes are V-shaped at their attachment point to the nose, they might effectively redirect airflow outward before it gets channeled outward again by the V-shaped junction between the underfloor and the chassis further back. The lower outer edge could also be designed to create vortices that help rejuvenate the airflow underneath the leading edge of the underfloor. Whatever their precise function, it's likely that other teams will be examining this closely using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) soon."
As F1 teams diligently analyze the vast amounts of data gathered during their allotted three days of testing in Barcelona, they will certainly be looking to replicate some of the innovative features unveiled by their competitors. The attention on McLaren's turning vanes and Aston Martin’s bold sidepods is expected to intensify as teams prepare for the next pre-season tests in Bahrain, set for February 11-13 and 18-20.
Norris and Piastri are eager to see McLaren's car perform exceptionally well when the season kicks off in Australia from March 6-8. Norris aims to defend his title as the reigning drivers’ champion in this new era of regulations, while Piastri is keen to make a strong comeback after narrowly missing out in 2025.
Don't miss out on exclusive F1 news and updates! Subscribe to our newsletter for twice-weekly insights straight to your inbox.
