McLaren confirms FIA WEC Hypercar entry in 2027
McLaren has become the latest manufacturer to commit to the FIA World Endurance Championship’s burgeoning Hypercar class, with the iconic British brand preparing to enter the fray in 2027.
McLaren has been absent from the discipline’s top-tier since 1998, and this year marks the 30th anniversary of the company’s milestone win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the F1 GTR crewed by JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya, as the legendary marque secured four of the top five positions in the overall classification at La Sarthe in 1995.
In partnership with United Autosports, McLaren Automotive entered FIA WEC’s new LMGT3 division in 2024, tallying a trio of top four finishes in the 720S LMGT3 Evo’s maiden campaign in the series and signing off with a front row lockout in Bahrain.
The team replicated that qualifying domination in the 2025 curtain-raiser in Qatar, converting its performance into a second-place finish in the race – its breakthrough podium in the championship, less than half-a-second shy of victory.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown was on-site at Lusail International Circuit to witness the performance, and the American did nothing to quash the growing rumours that McLaren was finalising a step-up to the headlining Hypercar category – rumours that have now been officially corroborated.
“We’re back!” Brown enthused, adding in an interview with local broadcast network, beIN Sports: “A lot comes into play when you make a decision like this – how we’re doing in Formula 1, our IndyCar team, our Automotive business – and things have really never been better, so the timing is definitely good.
“With the rules that the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, the World Endurance Championship and IMSA have come up with, everyone has voted with their cars and look at the field – it’s amazing with all the manufacturers, the drivers, the competition. This is a very exciting time in endurance racing...”
McLaren joins Hyundai’s luxury brand Genesis and automotive heavyweight Ford in confirming its addition to the FIA WEC Hypercar grid in the coming years.