McLaren Unveils MCL40 Testing Livery Ahead of Barcelona Shakedown

McLaren, the reigning world champions, has released renders of its new MCL40 car in preparation for running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The car will debut with a stripped-back black and silver design, serving as a temporary testing livery.

This special livery is intended exclusively for a five-day shakedown period, during which teams are permitted to operate on track for three days of their choice.

Shakedown Period and Driver Schedule

Drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are scheduled to make their first on-track appearances of 2026 between January 26 and 30. McLaren has indicated that it may delay its initial outing until the middle of the week, opting not to participate on the opening day, as development work on the new car continues.

Official Livery Unveiling

The team clarified that the black and silver design is a temporary testing appearance. The full 2026 race livery is slated for unveiling on February 9, prior to the first official pre-season test in Bahrain.

Barcelona Debut and Season Readiness

Barcelona will serve as the first public viewing of the new challenger, as McLaren did not conduct any earlier filming or shakedown runs. Chief designer Rob Marshall stated that the car specification running in Spain will closely resemble the version used at the start of the season.