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Gary Anderson is convinced that McLaren will arrive at the Bahrain test with a part on their 2026 F1 regulations car inspired by what they saw Mercedes reveal in Barcelona.
Formula 1 goes to the Sakhir desert from February 11-13 for the first official pre-season test of 2026. The Bahrain International Circuit is said to have paid for the privilege of staging the first official test of F1’s 2026 regulations era, which left Barcelona with a private shakedown.
The paddock assembled for the first time this year in Montmelo between January 26 and 30 for a chance to debug their latest machines behind closed doors. Mercedes led the way with the reliability of their new car, as George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli penned 502 laps.
The Barcelona shakedown also convinced the F1 paddock that only McLaren will be genuine rivals to Mercedes in 2026, partly because they are an engine customer of the Silver Arrows. The two squads are expected to leave Red Bull and Ferrari behind as the season progresses.
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Gary Anderson tips McLaren to copy the cutout on Mercedes’ rear diffuser
The rear diffuser on Mercedes’ 2026 car in Barcelona also caught the eye, as they are one of the teams that incorporated a hole between the diffuser and rear tyres. Red Bull and Ferrari have holes in their rear diffusers to use the airflow to improve their diffusers’ efficiency, too.
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McLaren, however, did not seem to have what is called a ‘mousehole’ on the car that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri drove in Barcelona. So, former Jordan technical director Anderson is convinced that McLaren will have developed a concept that they will want to test in Bahrain.
Anderson told The Race: “As the slot in the rear of the floor leading into the diffuser exit has been enlarged this year, I suppose it should now be called ‘the rathole’, and it certainly could put the cat among the pigeons in terms of performance.”
He added: “Mercedes have also added what looks like a small wing section above the floor, increasing the power of that outward airflow in that area…
“As we can see from these pictures, most of the other frontrunners have, to some degree, an opening in this area. They also have the secondary turning vane mounted to the inner surface of the brake duct.
“McLaren, for now, are the exception, although from this picture it could be just around the corner. If it’s not, I’m sure we will see their interpretation of this opening in Bahrain.”
McLaren’s 2026 F1 regulations car has caught Gary Anderson’s attention
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While McLaren did not appear to have a cutout opening in their rear diffuser like Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari at the Barcelona shakedown, the MCL40 did catch Anderson’s attention in other ways. Anderson was drawn to the bargeboards on McLaren’s 2026 car, for example.
Also, Anderson suspects rival teams may copy McLaren’s under-nose turning vanes, having noticed the little details that the Woking crew have gone to in their bid to continue leading under the 2026 F1 regulations. McLaren hit the summit at the end of the ground-effect era.
McLaren matched Red Bull’s record from 2023 by winning the 2025 constructors’ title with six rounds to spare, as the papaya squad retained the title. Norris even won the F1 drivers’ championship for the first time in 2025, as Piastri finished the year 13 points away in third.
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