In the early months of 1976, McLaren's designer, Gordon Coppuck, was working on developing the single-seater that had the difficult task of replacing the successful M23. The car was designed to be lighter and lower than the M23, with a smaller frontal area and a narrower monocoque. The Woking team aimed to introduce the car mid-season in 1976, but during the initial tests conducted by Jochen Mass, issues arose with engine cooling, forcing Coppuck to redesign the radiator installation for more effective airflow.
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| McLAREN M26, James Hunt Dijon-Prenois, French GP 1977 |
However, the McLaren engineer had to juggle two tasks simultaneously, as he also had to revise the rear track of the M23 after Hunt's disqualification at the 1976 Spanish Grand Prix. The development of the new M26 was delayed, and only after the necessary modifications were made did Mass resume testing the M26, debuting it in the practice sessions of the 1976 Dutch Grand Prix. After further testing during an official practice session, the team decided that the new single-seater required additional modifications, particularly to the nose section. As a result, the M26 was not used again in 1976.
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| McLAREN M26, James Hunt Dijon-Prenois, French GP 1977 |
In 1977, the new McLaren M26 was finally introduced. It featured a completely new aluminum monocoque chassis, the reliable Ford Cosworth DFV engine prepared by Nicholson Engines, a McLaren/Hewland six-speed gearbox, double wishbone suspension with inboard front shock absorbers, a 2743 mm wheelbase, and a total weight of 585 kg. Aesthetically, the new McLaren had a less slender but narrower nose compared to the M23, housing the main radiator inside.
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| McLAREN M26, James Hunt Monza, Italian GP 1977 |
The sidepods were angled and followed the chassis profile, with air intakes for the oil radiators positioned in front of the rear wheels. Meanwhile, the engine air intakes, still boomerang-shaped like on the M23, were located beside the driver's head. The M26 made its race debut at the 1977 Spanish Grand Prix, driven only by James Hunt, who found it more challenging to drive and set up compared to the M23, despite its lighter weight and improved performance. In the following race at Monaco, Hunt preferred to revert to the familiar M23, but from the next race onward, the British driver took on an unfamiliar role, test driver, working to improve the new car's race pace and reliability, significantly enhancing its performance.
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| McLAREN M26, James Hunt Monza, Italian GP 1977 |
While Mass continued using the older M23, Hunt’s relentless work eventually paid off. After a difficult start, the M26, in the hands of the reigning World Champion, secured three victories in the second half of the season. However, reliability issues remained the Achilles' heel of Coppuck's new creation, costing Hunt two potential wins. His teammate, Jochen Mass, achieved one third-place finish, two fourths, and one sixth-place finish with the M26, contributing to McLaren's third-place finish in the 1977 Constructors' Championship with 60 points, behind Ferrari and Lotus.
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