“Rich get richer” regulation change may impact McLaren’s growth

The impact of the new regulations on emerging threats like McLaren has been fiercely debated.

A first grand prix victory for Lando Norris in Miami last weekend was the reward for McLaren edging closer and closer to the dominant Red Bull.

It is expected that the field could convergence even closer in 2025, the final year of the current rule-set, before brand new regulations are unveiled in 2026 giving every team a fresh slate.

But is the 2026 rule-change well-timed, if it arrives when McLaren have finally got closest to overthrowing Red Bull’s four-year dominance?

“Isn’t that the point? Convergence is inevitable,” Natalie Pinkham told the Sky F1 podcast. “You weed out the problems that you’ve had.

“Then the cream rises to the top again. That is the foundation of a meritocracy.”

Karun Chandhok disagreed: “What happens with a regulation change is that the rich get richer. You get this split.

“I would have loved the regulation change to be pushed back two years. We are getting to the point where the teams close in on Red Bull and next year will be closer.

“The hybrid rules come out in 2026. Someone will get in massively right, and someone will get it massively wrong.”

Pinkham replied: “But that somebody may not be Red Bull. We will see a cyclical pattern and another team come out on top.”

More McLaren upgrades in Imola

McLaren may not need to wait until 2025 to enjoy more success.

“They have built a car which can compete with Red Bull when the circumstances line up,” Chandhok said.

“Miami is a unique circuit, a street circuit. The surface is pretty unique. It’s not a normal track.

“We are now coming up to Imola, a more traditional circuit. It’s very different with traditional asphalt on the ground.

“There are high-speed changes of direction, elevation changes, stability, compliance over the kerbs, chicanes…

“But they are in. They are absolutely in it.

“The fact that you bring in a big upgrade to a sprint weekend, with only one hour to dial it in, shows huge confidence in the development programme.

“I don’t know many other teams who would have the confidence to make that decision.

“Mercedes bring upgrades but we hear that what they’re seeing in the wind tunnel is not what they see on track.

“So, for McLaren to make that call is brilliant.

“We believe Oscar Piastri will also have the upgrade in Imola. He was shy of a couple of tenths.

“Even without the last bit of performance, he still ran second in the first stint. It didn’t look like Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz could attack him.”