McLaren unveils Hypercar for 2027 top class Le Mans return with touching tribute

McLaren has unveiled its Hypercar for its top class return to the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans ahead of the first tests of the machine.

The Zak Brown-led outfit had been teasing a return to sportscar racing’s top echelons since the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans.

McLaren officially announced its top class Le Mans return last year, with the brand to debut its Hypercar in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027.

On Monday, the team officially unveiled the car it will campaign in the FIA WEC next season, as well as a test livery inspired by an iconic car from its racing past.

A statement on Instagram read: This is the FIA WEC and 24 Hours of Le Mans Hypercar that will return McLaren to the top class of sports car racing.

“And the livery? Inspired by the M6A - our first ever championship-winning car, built and raced by Bruce [McLaren] himself.

“After winning Le Mans in 1966 with Ford, Bruce went on to dominate Can-Am in 1967. It was here, in the M6A, he saw a road back to Le Mans – this time in a McLaren.

“Tragically, he never saw it realised.

“So, as we prepare to join WEC in 2027, this test livery carries that ambition forward.”

The car will be known as the MCL-HY and run to LMDh specification on a Dallara LMP2 chassis powered by a V6 twin-turbo engine developed jointly by McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive.

Who will race for McLaren at Le Mans in 2027?

There have been few details how the project will develop in terms of driver line-ups into 2027.

So far, only former Peugeot racer Mikkel Jensen has been confirmed as a driver for 2027.

The pair of cars will be run by United Autosports, who has till now campaign McLarens in the GT class of the FIA WEC.

Testing of the MCL-HY will be carried out by Jensen, as well as McLaren development drivers Richard Verschoor and Gregoire Saucy, and United Autosports driver Ben Hanley.

“McLaren Racing now has three race cars ready to contest the biggest motorsport series in the world; Formula 1, IndyCar and WEC,” said Zak Brown.

“This means McLaren, its partners and fans can challenge for the Triple Crown of Monaco GP, Indy 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans together – a unique cross-series story that sets us apart.”

Brown recently stated that he was waiting to see how the driver market looked before committing to a final line-up. 

With Porsche pulling out of the WEC at the end of last season, as well as Acura ending its IMAS Sports Car Championship involvement soon, there will be some top names looking for rides for 2027 in Hypercar.

Could Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri race at Le Mans with McLaren?

Brown noted last year at Le Mans that he has spoken to reigning world champion Lando Norris and his Formula 1 team-mate Oscar Piastri about a potential outing at the 24-hour enduro.

“I don't think they could be in the Hypercar programme," Brown told reporters, including Crash.net, at the time.

“Will they do Le Mans? I've spoken with both of them about Le Mans. They would like to be at Le Mans in one of [our cars].”

McLaren took a sensational victory at Le Mans in 1995 with the F1 GTR.

The brand will enter WEC’s top class alongside Ford, who will field a challenger in Hypercar from next season.

The WEC already gained another new brand in Genesis this season.

To accommodate its Hypercar project, McLaren iced its Formula E programme, to prioritise WEC, F1 and IndyCar.