The new regulations will bring a radical overhaul on both fronts: aerodynamically, with the introduction of fully active aero at both the front and rear, and — above all — through a deeply revised power unit, featuring the removal of the MGU-H and a tripling of electrical power output.

Asked which of the two aspects will prove to be the real deciding factor in the next technical cycle, Temple told GPblog among others: “I suppose, ultimately, we won’t know until we get to the first races. Certainly, if we look at the way F1 has evolved in recent years, we’ve seen a convergence of performance, with teams becoming much closer together. That’s partly been driven by stability in the power unit regulations, but also in the aerodynamic rules.

He finally added: “Maybe it’s a bit of a cop-out, but the honest answer is that it’s going to be a mixture of both. Exactly how much of each we won’t really know until we’ve completed the first couple of races.”

McLaren will officially unveil its new car on 9 February, but before then it will be involved — like the rest of the grid — in the five-day Barcelona test, which will mark the on-track debut of the 2026 cars.

Speaking during a recent media session attended by GPblog, Andrea Stella confirmed that McLaren will not run on the opening day of testing. The decision has been made to extend development for as long as possible, with the aim of arriving at the track with a more refined and competitive package.