
Sporting a raised nose, an innovative U-shaped sidepod arrangement, and a longer wheelbase than the MP4-25, the MP4-26 was designed with downforce maximization in mind following the banning of double-diffusers prior to the start of the season.

Like its predecessor in 2010, the MP4-26 proved extremely competitive during the 2011 Formula One season, leading Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to second-place in the Constructors' Championship for a second consecutive season and Jenson Button (2nd) and Lewis Hamilton (5th) to respectable positions in the Drivers' Championship.
