McLaren Will Return to Le Mans with the Mighty MCL-HY

McLaren

The McLaren Hypercar Team will begin on-track testing of the MCL-HY this month, a program that will support the simultaneous development of both the race car and its track car counterpart ahead of McLaren’s WEC debut in 2027.

For the 2026 test program, McLaren Hypercar Team works driver Mikkel Jensen will be supported by McLaren Driver Development Program (DDP) drivers Gregoire Saucy and Richard Verschoor. In addition, United Autosports driver Ben Hanley will bring his valuable development experience to the team.

McLaren

Built to the ACO/IMSA LMDh regulations, the MCL-HY combines a lightweight carbon fiber monocoque with what McLaren calls exceptional balance. Power comes from a twin‑turbocharged V6 race engine paired with a hybrid MGU system, delivering up to 697 bhp to the driven rear axle. With a minimum weight of 2,270 pounds and a highly efficient power‑to‑weight ratio, the MCL‑HY has been developed “to balance outright performance with endurance racing efficiency, designed to operate at the very highest level of the FIA World Endurance Championship and the demanding 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

McLaren

Just as Ferrari eliminated the hybrid component from its 296 to make the Ferrari Challenge car (for instance), the MCL-HY GTR track car variant of the McLaren has been deliberately developed without the FIA Hypercar’s mandated LMDh hybrid system and is powered purely by the 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged gasoline-fed racing engine. That results in a lower dry weight while still making 720 bhp.

“This decision ensures that clients benefit from a purer driving experience on track days; one that delivers authentic Hypercar performance and feel without additional complexity, and a simpler ownership model that prioritizes accessibility above all else,” McLaren says.

The MCL-HY GTR track car variant also represents a first-of-its-kind collaboration between McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive, engineered in parallel with the race car.

McLaren

For those who possess one of these, ownership of the MCL-HY GTR extends far beyond the car itself, McLaren notes.

McLaren Automotive has developed an exclusive program offering unprecedented access to McLaren Racing’s World Endurance Championship operation. Project: Endurance will immerse clients in the team’s journey, from testing and development, through to the drama of the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans.

That means MCL-HY GTR owners will also take part in a two-year, six-event track driving program curated across premier international circuits, which includes opportunities to drive their car on PURE McLaren track events, exclusive, high-performance driving programs organized by McLaren Automotive at iconic racetracks globally. Each client will benefit from professional driver coaching, a dedicated pit crew and race engineering support, participating on a fully inclusive arrive-and-drive basis.

But patience will be a virtue. Deliveries of the McLaren MCL-HY GTR track car are to begin toward the end of 2027.

McLaren