How closely have you been paying attention to the upcoming Formula 1 season? Close enough to spot a hidden feature on the McLaren MCL39?

According to McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, something has gone unnoticed!

What hidden feature will emerge on the McLaren MCL39?

There’s something special about Bahrain pre-season testing. All 10 teams lift the covers on their challengers for the season ahead, giving keen-eyed fans a chance to pore over fresh details and spot all the latest differences.

This year, McLaren paced the F1 field — both in terms of speed and in terms of lap count. Cold temperatures, rain, and gusty winds had nothing on the team, with both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri looking extremely quick in race simulations.

As we uncovered in our tech deep dives, McLaren have debuted a boundary-pushing front suspension arrangement that is expected to improve aerodynamic performance and, as a result, speed and handling.

For many, the performance was strong enough that the Woking-based team have entered the conversation as potential 2025 title contenders.

But did we miss something?

Speaking with Sky Sports during Formula 1’s pre-season testing, Brown cheekily hinted at a hidden feature that no one seems to have unearthed on the McLaren MCL39!

More F1 2025 predictions:

👉 F1 2025 predictions: Have your say on this season’s title winners

👉 F1 2025 predictions: Title winners, Hamilton v Leclerc, driver moves and more

He kicked off comparing the MCL39 with its 2024 predecessor, with Brown telling sky, “I think we’ve tried to enhance on what we had.”

According to Brown, though, there are some secrets still waiting to be unearthed on the new machine.

“There’s some stuff on there that I don’t think has been totally noticed yet,” he told the F1 broadcaster.

“But I think that will happen in due course when everyone gets their photography out.

“We obviously ended the year with a strong race car but so did, kind of, everybody else.”

That ties right into Brown’s ultimate prediction for the F1 2025 season: “I think this field is going to be closer than ever.”

Read next: F1 testing data discovery indicates true Red Bull pace compared to Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes