McLaren struggles at Monza: H-Wing rear wing a bright spot amid 0.384-second gap

Monza, Italy – McLaren arrived at the high-speed Monza circuit as the dominant force on high-downforce tracks, but after Friday practice, the picture changed. Lando Norris could only manage fourth place, 0.384 seconds off the pace – a significant gap on a lap lasting just over 80 seconds. This exposed the inherent weakness of the MCL40: low-downforce performance. Norris did not hide his frustration. “We are not fighting for pole,” the Briton told reporters. “In low-speed corners, the car doesn't turn as we expected. Conversely, corners we thought would be difficult felt better. This shows the aerodynamic map is not optimized for Monza.” Meanwhile, direct rivals – Mercedes with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc – all looked strong. However, not everything was negative. McLaren brought a brand-new rear wing to Monza, dubbed the H-Wing. According to technical director Rob Houldey, the rotating wing worked “exactly as intended” during both practice sessions. “It ran smoothly, no mechanical issues. We will do more inspections, but the initial signals are very positive,” Houldey said. The H-Wing is designed to reduce drag on straights while maintaining some downforce in corners – an innovative solution in the ground-effect era. Still, the 0.384-second gap cannot be solely attributed to the wing. Houldey acknowledged that the car has a “good balance between high-speed and low-speed corners,” but still lacks top speed. Another key factor is the energy harvest/deployment issue. “We have an opportunity to improve energy recovery – that's where we can find a few tenths,” Houldey revealed. This suggests McLaren may be running a conservative engine mode or facing calibration issues with the Mercedes ERS system. Looking back, McLaren impressed at Hungaroring and Zandvoort – high-downforce circuits. Monza is a different story: long straights, low-speed chicanes demanding traction and braking stability. This contrast shows that the MCL40 is not yet a complete package across all track types, which could affect the championship fight if rivals like Red Bull or Ferrari are more versatile. The engineering team worked overnight to optimize the setup and improve energy recovery. Houldey was cautious: “We will be a little bit closer, but it's still a challenge.” If successful, McLaren could close the gap to 0.1-0.2 seconds – enough to fight for the front row if others do not improve. On the regulatory front, the H-Wing has passed FIA mechanical checks. However, its rotating mechanism may fall into a grey area. If rival teams protest, the FIA could issue a Technical Directive. McLaren insists the design is legal, but the phrase “more inspections remain” suggests they are not 100% certain. In terms of media narrative, Monza is creating a compelling storyline: the high-downforce champion suddenly weak on a speed track. This adds to the competitiveness of the 2026 season. Norris, though frustrated, remains professional: “We know where we are. The goal is to maximize what we have.” In summary, McLaren faces a genuine challenge at Monza. The H-Wing is a notable technical step, but the low-downforce weakness may be structural. Without improvement, a top-5 finish is realistic, but pole is almost out of reach. Sunday's race will be the ultimate test of the team's recovery ability.