Electric Cars

McLaren has made a strategic decision not to introduce any additional upgrades for their 2025 Formula 1 car for the rest of the current season. This implies that their drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, will continue their championship pursuit against Max Verstappen with the existing machinery. The team's principal, Andrea Stella, expressed confidence in the car's inherent performance, particularly highlighting Norris' strong pace at the recent United States Grand Prix.

McLaren's Strategic Pause on Upgrades Amidst F1 Title Battle

In a significant announcement, McLaren confirmed on October 21, 2025, that no further performance enhancements would be applied to its Formula 1 car for the ongoing season. This decision comes as drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris prepare to challenge Max Verstappen for the championship title. The United States Grand Prix saw Verstappen secure his third victory in four races, alongside a dominant sprint race performance in Austin, where both Piastri and Norris were unfortunately eliminated due to an incident. Currently, Piastri holds a 40-point lead over Verstappen, with Norris trailing his teammate by 14 points. Despite the formidable challenge posed by Verstappen's Red Bull RB21, which has demonstrated impressive speed, McLaren team boss Andrea Stella articulated that the development focus for the 2025 car has concluded, with the team ceasing upgrades earlier than competitors like Red Bull and Mercedes. Stella, speaking on Sunday night, underscored the team's belief in their current package. He pointed to Lando Norris's competitive race pace in Austin, which he believed was on par with Verstappen's, despite Norris's bid for victory being hampered by an early race skirmish with Charles Leclerc. Stella emphasized that while overtaking Verstappen is challenging, the underlying performance was sufficient to contend for a win. He also noted that the lack of data from the Saturday sprint race, due to the early exit, impacted their setup work for qualifying, suggesting untapped potential in the car's performance.

McLaren's decision to halt further upgrades signals a shift towards maximizing the potential of their current package. It reflects a belief in their existing engineering and the capabilities of their drivers, rather than a surrender to their rivals. This strategy may prove to be a test of their operational efficiency and driver skill in adapting to the available tools against formidable competition.

Super Formula, the renowned Japanese single-seater racing series, is contemplating a significant shift in its equipment strategy. The current Dallara SF23 chassis, initially slated for replacement by the end of the 2027 season, might see its operational lifespan extended. This potential change reflects a cautious and comprehensive approach by the series organizers as they deliberate the future direction of the championship's technical specifications and broader international presence.

The current chassis, the Dallara SF23, has been a staple of the Super Formula series, delivering competitive and thrilling races. While there was an initial plan to introduce a new car model in 2028, JRP president Yoshihisa Ueno has now openly discussed the possibility of retaining the SF23 for a longer period. This deliberation is rooted in a desire to meticulously assess various aspects of a next-generation vehicle, ensuring it aligns with the evolving expectations of fans and teams alike.

Ueno emphasized that the decision-making process involves a thorough evaluation of several key criteria. These include maintaining high levels of speed and competitive design, enhancing the car's 'raceability' to ensure exciting on-track action, and considering the acoustic experience for spectators. Crucially, cost control remains a paramount concern, as the series aims to avoid any dramatic increase in operational expenses that could burden participating teams. The organization is actively soliciting input from its various stakeholders, including teams, drivers, and fans, to help shape the future technical regulations and overall direction.

In parallel with the chassis discussions, Super Formula's ambitions for international expansion have faced a temporary setback. Efforts to host a race in South Korea as part of the 2026 calendar were ultimately unsuccessful, leading to its cancellation. Despite having explored potential venues in other Asian countries such as Indonesia and Thailand, the provisional 2026 schedule currently features no overseas events. Ueno clarified that while discussions with various nations are ongoing for future seasons, the series is not pressured to rush an international race. The focus, he stated, is on establishing a robust and sustainable environment for such events to thrive.

Looking ahead, the 2026 calendar still includes notable modifications, with the season opener shifting from the traditional Suzuka Circuit to Motegi, a change last seen in 2020. Ueno expressed a clear intention to bring the opening round back to Suzuka for 2027, provided logistical challenges, particularly those related to Formula 1's revised schedule at the venue, can be overcome. Furthermore, Super Formula has decided against pursuing the concept of an F1 support race at Suzuka, a notion that had previously been explored but did not materialize for the 2024 season.