Lando Norris claims MCL40 raw power 'a shock to the system'

There are plenty of unknowns heading into the 2026 season, owing to a complete overhaul of the technical regulations.

The cars have gotten both smaller and lighter, while DRS has made way for a variety of driving modes which utilise active aero components on the front as well as the rear wing.

But perhaps the largest change has occurred with the power units. A much larger percentage of the total horsepower generated by the PU in the new cars is electric, which will vastly change the power delivery.

Ten of the 11 teams contesting the 2026 campaign took part in a pre-season shakedown at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and got a feel for their 2026 Formula 1 challengers.

Norris, who will be hoping to retain his Drivers' crown after claiming his first Title in 2025, weighed in on just how different his MCL40 felt behind the wheel over three days of rigorous testing.

Speaking to select media at a Drivers' Press Conference at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England on Tuesday, Norris stated that the new 2026 machinery feels distinctly quicker in certain ways compared to the ground-effect era of cars.

He said: "It feels more powerful. You have a little bit less grip, but even when you are not grip limited and you are in third, fourth, fifth gear, when you are deploying all the battery, if you just let it run you would be hitting 3, 380. The cars could do a lot more, but the battery would be finished.

"It feels quicker. For the neck, it is not so much cornering because it is slow enough for now, but the first day with the acceleration and the G forwards was a surprise, a shock to the system. It felt like a step up in acceleration and force on the body," claimed the defending World Champion.

However, the new regulations have resulted in performance deficits in other areas. Norris continued by saying that cornering grip is noticeably lower compared to his Championship-winning MCL39.

He added: "They are fun. It is different. On a qualifying lap you might have to lift off a little, which is not what you grow up doing.

"Starting a lap and not going flat out in the last corner because you are saving battery, then lifting again, is not how you normally think. It will get better over time as people figure it out and adjustments are made."

The British driver provided helpful comparisons between the MCL40 and MCL39 at Barcelona, claiming that certain corners that were flat out previously were no longer the case.

"They are fun because there is more power and you are hustling the car more. Some corners that were flat are not flat now," said Norris.

"Turn 9 and Turn 3 and the last corner in Barcelona were pretty much flat last year. This year you are lifting a lot.

"That can create more racing. With fresh tyres you will gain more in parts of the track. There is still a lot to figure out, including strategies and tyres," concluded the 26-year-old.