Formula 1 News: McLaren now has the fastest F1 car despite a short wheelbase

McLaren's MCL40 has emerged as the fastest car on the 2026 F1 grid, with Lando Norris dominating in Hungary following recent upgrades. Designed under Rob Marshall, who joined from Red Bull three years ago, the MCL40 features a deliberately short wheelbase of approximately 3250 mm — around 150 mm shorter than rivals including Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull. The unconventional design choice was driven by the need to meet the reduced minimum weight limit of 768 kg under 2026 regulations, with a shorter car being inherently lighter and freeing up mass for performance gains elsewhere.