Zak Brown Makes 2026 McLaren Prediction Amid F1 Regulation Shakeup

Zak Brown, McLaren’s CEO, is approaching Formula 1’s technical overhaul in 2026 with excitement rather than frustration.



After four years of the ground-effect era, which spanned from 2022 to 2025, McLaren claimed a remarkable double.



Lando Norris won the Drivers’ Championship, while teammate Oscar Piastri helped the team secure the Constructors’ title, a first since 1998.



From Triumph to a Blank Slate



Despite last season’s success, all of that momentum counts for little in the 2026 season.



Norris will carry the number ‘1’ on his car, but the team faces an entirely new challenge as F1 undergoes the sport’s most significant technical reset in history.



Cars are now 20 centimetres shorter, 30 kilograms lighter, and feature active aerodynamics.



Engines will run on sustainable fuel, with a 50/50 split between electrification and internal combustion power.



New race strategies include “Overtake” mode, allowing drivers to boost engine power within one second of a rival in designated areas, while “Boost” mode offers power injections at any point in a lap.



A Season of Change



For McLaren, the timing is unique. The team returned to the top step of the podium in 2024, then followed it with another Constructors’ title and Norris securing the Drivers’ crown by two points, ending Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s dominance.



Brown says the team is energized rather than daunted.



“I mean, it’s been an amazing quest to go from where we were, not only on track, but off track,” he told PlanetF1.com in Abu Dhabi.



He added, “As far as the rule book, that’s the exciting part of Formula 1, we’ve got to do it all over again.”



Preparing Behind the Scenes



Brown praised McLaren’s technical and leadership teams for their work.



“We changed a lot of our car this year so even though the rules didn’t significantly change, our technical team didn’t sit still,” he explained.



He highlighted the effort from the CFO, HR head, communications team, and others, noting the complexity of supporting a winning F1 outfit.



“There’s a lot of stuff that has to go on behind the scenes to even give them the tools, the resources and us the people,” he said.



Brown emphasized that competition has never been tougher, with no “minnow” teams left, and everyone operating within the cost cap.



Testing Ahead of the Season



McLaren, along with other Mercedes-powered teams, will gain an early indication of competitiveness during tests starting in late January.



The first group test with new cars begins January 26 in Spain behind closed doors.



Teams then travel to Bahrain for the first open test from February 11 to 13, followed by a second session from February 18 to 20.



The 2026 Formula 1 season will kick off with the Australian Grand Prix on March 8.
The post Zak Brown Makes 2026 McLaren Prediction Amid F1 Regulation Shakeup appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk .