Ferrari and Mercedes Lead Early 2026 Charge, Says McLaren's Stella

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has identified Ferrari and Mercedes as the teams to watch ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season, suggesting they currently sit at the top of the pecking order. Speaking after the first pre-season test in Bahrain, Stella praised both teams for their apparent readiness and pace, despite cautioning against drawing definitive conclusions from testing data.

Testing Insights Point to Rising Competitiveness

Following three days of running at the Bahrain International Circuit, Stella assessed that Ferrari and Mercedes are “definitely at the top of the list” in terms of performance readiness. He pointed to race simulation runs from drivers Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), which appeared stronger than McLaren’s during comparative laps.

"In terms of race pace, I can confirm that Ferrari looks pretty competitive,"

Stella said. "In the simulation that Hamilton did, and then there was at the same time one from Antonelli and one from Oscar [Piastri], I think Antonelli and Hamilton were quicker than us. Still, I would say that Charles’s one was quite competitive and at the same level. I invite everyone to just be careful looking too much into what we see in testing. However, early indications... you can definitely put Ferrari and Mercedes at the top of the list."

McLaren Focused on Reliability, Not Raw Pace

While McLaren refrained from commenting on outright pace, Stella emphasized the positive progress made with the MCL40, particularly in reliability and systems functionality. The team successfully completed all planned test items, marking a significant milestone for what he described as a "completely new project." "This test has been extremely positive in terms of the mileage that we have been able to achieve – reliability, functionality," Stella explained. "We have gone through all the list of tests that we had yet to complete, in order to sign off the new car."

He acknowledged early challenges during the private shakedown in Barcelona but highlighted improvements by day three and throughout the Bahrain running: "After that, day three in Barcelona, and this first part of the Bahrain test, are quite positive from a McLaren point of view."

Red Bull Still a Factor

Although Stella singled out Ferrari and Mercedes, he also noted that Red Bull remains a strong competitor, describing all three teams as "very well-equipped" and "fast." The reigning champions, despite some debate over their recent form, are still expected to be part of the conversation when the season begins.