The historic Woking team returns to compete for the overall victory in endurance competitions and does so with the brand new MCL-HY, the Hypercar that will debut in the WEC in 2027. Powered by an Italian engine mounted on a Dallara chassis, the MCL-HY is ready to challenge Ferrari, Toyota, and the other endurance giants. The project will also have a commercial aspect, with the development of a track version intended for sale.
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Welcome MCL-HY
The presentation of the MCL-HY marks a return to the past for the British manufacturer and not only because Woking cars have written important pages of history in endurance competitions. The English Hypercar was presented to the world in its test livery, inspired by that of the McLaren M6A, characterized by the iconic papaya orange. The MCL-HY is born based on the LMDh regulations, which is why the chassis was entrusted to one of the four homologated chassis manufacturers. The choice fell on Dallara, which has already collaborated with BMW and Cadillac. The engine is a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 developed by the Cremonese company Autotecnica Motori, coupled with the standard hybrid system made by Bosch. The total power is about 700 horsepower, as prescribed by the regulations.
Now begins the long track testing program for the MCL-HY, entrusted to Mikkel Jensen, Gregoire Saucy, Richard Verschoor, and Ben Hanley, all under the supervision of Team Principal James Barclay. The WEC debut will take place in 2027, the year Ford will also return to the World Championship. However, McLaren is not only looking at competitions, having already announced the development of the MCL-HY GTR, intended for sale to customers for exclusive track use. The GTR will be without the hybrid system, thus falling below the 1030 kg minimum weight of the Hypercar regulations, while the thermal engine will reach 730 horsepower.
Papaya dreams
With the Hypercar program, McLaren will be able to fight for the overall victory in all the Triple Crown races, namely the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Monaco Grand Prix, and the Indianapolis 500, a milestone of which Zak Brown is particularly proud: “After months and years of work, here we are, presenting the MCL-HY to the world. McLaren Racing now has three cars ready to participate in the biggest championships in the world: Formula 1, IndyCar, and the WEC. This means that McLaren, its partners, and its fans will be able to fight together for the Triple Crown at the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a unique story that distinguishes us.”
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