McLaren presents its Hypercar project for WEC
Zak Brown and McLaren held a press conference on Friday June 13 to outline the Hypercar project for 2027.
Thirty years later. Thirty years after McLaren’s last victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, McLaren invited the press to discuss the brand’s return to the top category of endurance racing.
Zak Brown had spilled the beans in recent weeks with a brief video and a simple message: “We’re back.” This Friday, June 13th, the McLaren boss revealed some details of this project.
The car entered in the Hypercar category will be an LMDh with a Dallara chassis. The vehicle will be powered by a 3.5L twin-turbo V6 produced by McLaren Racing. The car is currently under development and is expected to hit the track for the first time within the first six months of 2026.
Zak Brown also revealed the name of the endurance team director. It is James Barclay, known for his involvement with Jaguar in Formula E. “I am honored to join a brand with such an incredible history of excellence in motorsport. I have always admired the passion and determination to succeed that McLaren Racing embodies. I am eager to take on the challenge of building a team that competes at the highest level of racing and represents the pioneering spirit that has made McLaren famous,” he expressed in a statement.
A model will be presented to the public this Saturday, June 14, at 1 PM, in the 24 Hours of Le Mans village. For those who were wondering: this large box in the middle of the manufacturers’ shops hides the future Hypercar.
McLaren went all out as the 24 Hours Museum, which hosts an exhibition on iconic models of the brand, was privatized by Zak Brown for VIPs.
Regarding the GT3 project, it will still be relevant in 2026, but the McLaren boss did not comment on what comes next. His dream is to win the triple crown again: the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The message is clear, McLaren is not coming just to make an appearance.
