McLaren rolls into Las Vegas with upgrades and a three-year grudge. The team has bombed at this race since it debuted — 2023 brought a double Q1 exit and Norris crashing on lap three, 2024 was sixth and seventh 27 seconds off the podium, and last year both cars were disqualified for worn skid blocks despite Norris taking pole. Now they're back with new parts billed as "the foundation for next year's car," building on the 2027 front wing concept that helped Norris win in Brazil and end a five-race podiumless streak. The problem is structural: Vegas demands top speed down the two-kilometer Strip straight, and McLaren's shorter gear ratios can't deliver at tracks like this, Monza, or Baku. Team principal Andrea Stella knows it but says the faster MCL40 gives them a shot to finally make peace with the Nevada desert.
Read the full story at Motorsport.com
