McLaren fairness policy to be tested by intense F1 2026 development war

Karun Chandhok has questioned whether McLaren can continue with its policy of treating its drivers equally this season given the “high” development rate that’s expected with the all-new cars.

Last season, fighting for the championship double in what looked to be a two-McLaren driver race for the World title, McLaren did not bring an upgrade to the track unless it had enough parts for both cars.

McLaren warned it may have to choose between development and fairness

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Oscar Piastri confirmed this early in the season when he told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets, that the drivers will “have the same car every weekend” while it is possible to do so.

“Obviously,” he explained, “we have already a decent gap in the Constructors’ Championship and both of us fighting for the Drivers’ Championship, so I think it’s expected that we’ll both have an equal opportunity and the same car to be able to fight for the Drivers’ Championship, and obviously in the Constructors’ Championship, we’re in a good place.”

The teammates did run different suspensions later in the season, but that was by choice as Piastri opted to stick with the early configuration.

Norris went on to win the championship by 13 points ahead of his McLaren teammate, who fell to third in the standings when his late-season troubles cost him in the battle against Max Verstappen.

Lando Norris v Oscar Piastri: McLaren 2025 head-to-head scores

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

This season McLaren potentially faces the same conundrum as 2024 when, chasing Red Bull, it was keen to get whatever performance it could onto the car as quickly as possible.

That’s because this year’s all-new cars are set to spark an intense development war, one that former F1 driver Chandhok says could put paid to at least one aspect of the papaya regulations.

“I like the way McLaren has gone racing,” he told Sky’s F1 Show. “I think it’s good for the show. We’ve all enjoyed watching it. I’m sure, on the inside, it’s not been easy to manage.

“We got, obviously, new regs. And I think this year we’ve sort of had the end of a run of regulations, right?

“But next year, the rate of development is going to be so high, and I think they’ve managed so far to make it fair and equal that both drivers get an upgrade at the same time.

“Things like, there might be times, especially the early part of next year, where it’s like, ‘we got to really push something through, we can only get one made in time.’

“Then what?

“So I think there’s going to be some more challenges around that, if they’re again at the sharp end.”

Challenges that could be further compounded by McLaren’s engine supplier, Mercedes.

Although Mercedes is obligated to supply the exact same engine that it races to its customers, Chandhok points out that the Brackley squad as the works team is in a better position to integrate the all-new power unit.

He reckons it could hand George Russell an advantage over reigning World Champion Norris in the fight for the F1 2026 title.

“Personally,” said the former driver, “I think if Mercedes gets it right from the power unit side, I think the works Mercedes team will be optimistic to be in a better position, because I think that integration of the whole power unit as a factory team rather than a customer team.

“I know in theory, they should be the same, but they’ve been integrated in the design process a bit more.

“So I’m interested to see whether George Russell gets himself in a championship fight next year as well. And that could add another layer, right?”

Mercedes and its customer teams will have their first indication as to how the power unit stacks up against it rivals when testing begins in late January.

Formula 1 will host the first group test with the new cars beginning January 26th in a behind-closed-doors outing before the teams will head to Bahrain for the first open test with media and fans able to see the cars in action. That runs from 11 to 13 February with a second Bahrain outing from 18 to 20 February.

The F1 2026 season will begin with the Australian Grand Prix on March 8.

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