Just spend more? Mercedes' intriguing theory for McLaren's PU deficit

Mercedes has provided insights into why McLaren has struggled to maximize the performance of its 2026 power unit compared to the factory team. The differences in exploitation stem from various factors, including spending limitations and the sharing of intellectual property, which affects the simulation tools available to customer teams like McLaren. Despite having a strong partnership with Mercedes, McLaren finds itself somewhat disconnected from the main decision-making processes regarding the power unit's configurations.

McLaren's team principal and technical director have acknowledged the challenges they face in influencing design and installation decisions, which ultimately rest with the Mercedes race team. To address these issues, McLaren is focusing on building its own power unit performance team and improving its processes to better align with the capabilities of the power unit. This effort aims to enhance their competitiveness in the ongoing season.