Mercedes technical director Simone Resta has clocked something interesting at McLaren. After the Woking team introduced a substantial upgrade package at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Lando Norris claimed victory, Resta noticed a sizeable performance gap has opened up between McLaren's two drivers. Speaking on the Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show, the Italian acknowledged that while the new parts definitely helped, there's clearly more to the story when you compare how Norris and Oscar Piastri are extracting performance from the upgraded MCL40.

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McLaren have been on an absolute tear with development this season, bringing 37 new upgrades to their car since pre-season testing kicked off. That haul ties them with Red Bull for the most aggressive development programme on the grid. The Hungary package was particularly sizeable, featuring a revised rear wing endplate and a fresh floor designed to handle the high downforce requirements of the Budapest circuit. Norris' win marked McLaren's first Grand Prix victory since defending their constructor's championship from last year, so the upgrades are clearly delivering on track.

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Resta's take was measured but telling. He suggested Norris' performance at the Hungaroring was probably a combination of factors, the upgrades certainly playing their part, but also down to how well the driver connected with the setup on the day. He noted that McLaren has shown strong form throughout 2026 with both drivers, but there have been clear swings in who's fastest between races. Both Norris and Piastri have taken pole positions and race wins this season, which Resta highlighted as a real strength for the team.

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What's interesting is how Resta framed the driver pairing dynamic. He reckoned having two quick drivers pushing each other raises the bar for the entire operation and ultimately delivers better results. Both have proven they can perform at the highest level on different weekends. But the gap that's become visible following the recent upgrades does raise questions about whether one driver is adapting better to the new package, or if setup and timing are playing a bigger role in the current pecking order at McLaren.

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