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McLaren

McLaren last F1 team to officially confirm 2026 launch date

Finally! They may have finished first last season in the drivers' and constructors' championships, but they're last out of the box to announce their launch date.

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McLaren has finally confirmed its launch date for this season's challenger as it seeks to defend the F1 titles it won last year.

The Woking-based team is the last of the 11 on the Formula 1 grid this campaign to share details of its plans for the reveal of its 2026 car.

McLaren has announced it will launch on February 9 at the Bahrain International Circuit, ahead of the first of two three-day tests in Bahrain.

The team enters the season as the two-time defending constructors' champions, winning each of its titles in 2024 and 2025 in very different circumstances.

Two years ago, McLaren pipped Ferrari to the title by just 14 points. Last season, however, it thoroughly dominated, crushing its rivals, with Mercedes best of the rest, albeit 364 points adrift.

It also secured its first drivers' title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008, with Lando Norris crowned champion after a thrilling climax to the year in which he pipped Red Bull's Max Verstappen by just two points.

The Briton's team-mate, and long-time championship leader, Oscar Piastri, finished 13 points behind.

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