Neil Houldey spoke with Formula1.com following the F1 2026 shakedown in Barcelona for McLaren. The team’s Technical Director of Engineering provided several insights on their week at the track. The three days in Barcelona marked a significant milestone in the car project that has been in development since 2024.
Houldey on initial testing and operational challenges for McLaren at 2026 F1 Barcelona shakedown
McLaren began the conceptual design of their 2026 challenger two years ago. This process accelerated in early January 2026, where he team then moved into intensive Wind Tunnel and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) testing.
McLaren intentionally delayed its track debut. The team spent the early part of the week at the AVL facility in Austria, conducting extensive full-car dyno sessions to sign off on fundamental systems. Consequently, McLaren began its three-day track program later in the week.
The transition to the circuit proved challenging. The team dedicated the first two days to car preparations, leaving the team to feel a little bit behind, as they didn’t get the mileage they wanted.
Additionally, minor technical issues led to further downtime at the shakedown in Barcelona. However on the last day both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were able to complete a high volume of laps without any further issues.
“It’s been a long test. The shakedown for us actually really started, with our full car dyno in Austria. We went straight from there into this Barcelona test. As you know, first two days we just were preparing the car, getting it ready. So maybe we felt a little bit behind, but first day, second day, didn’t quite get the miles we wanted. Small, niggly, little issues that seemed to cost quite a bit of downtime. But yeah, the final day we got both drivers in. Both drivers completed a lot of laps without any issues whatsoever.”
Houldey on the complexity of the 2026 power unit
A significant portion of the testing focused on understanding how to operate the new Power Unit (PU) regulations.
Houldey further noted that McLaren is collaborating closely with Mercedes-Benz to optimise these results on the circuit and refine how the car operates under the new power constraints.
McLaren was able to gather a lot of data from the car’s telemetry, which will be taken back to improve the simulator’s realism. This data will ensure that the drivers’ real-world experiences are reflected in their virtual development tools.
“For us, for every team, it’s brilliant, the amount that you get from the telemetry, from running the car itself. So as we say there’s a lot to take back to the simulator. We can improve simulator realism because the drivers have now taken on the real thing, so we can develop the simulator a little bit more effectively.
“We tried to do what we could in the simulator, but there’s nothing like being on the circuit and working with Mercedes-Benz to find the best solution that gives us the best result on the circuit.
“Straight line mode or straight mode, cornering mode, again signing off that. That’s all new for us. Understanding the best way to operate it, a big part of what we’ve been trying to do this week.”
Future development and Bahrain preparations
Houldey said McLaren is now preparing for the next phase in Bahrain after the 2026 F1 Barcelona shakedown. Aerodynamicists will continue to develop the car based on aero work completed in the F1 Barcelona shakedown.
The team observed several rival challengers in the paddock. However, their primary focus remains on their own development trajectory.
McLaren now faces a busy few weeks of analysis at the factory to process the telemetry and finalise the car’s configuration for the first official test in Bahrain later in February.
“We’ve got lots and lots of pictures of everyone else’s cars, and again, it’s just useful to have that, see what other people have been up to. It just gives you a few more ideas about next development direction to take. We’ve really packed it in and we’ve got a lot to do in the next week before we turn up at Bahrain with a fast, more reliable car than the one that we had here.”
