McLaren returns to Le Mans with new MCL-HY hypercar
About twenty years have passed since the McLaren F1 GMR last thundered around the Circuit de la Sarthe. Now the company from Woking is preparing a new assault on the premier endurance race. McLaren is returning to the top division of endurance racing with the new MCL-HY FIA hypercar, which will start in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2027. However, the real news is the MCL-HY GTR version, intended for selected customers.
Track version GTR: More power without hybrid
The track version looks much more interesting on paper. Free from the strict regulations that the racing car must adhere to, it is lighter and more powerful than the car that will compete for points. McLaren calls it the first true collaboration between McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive. Apart from the emblem, it has nothing in common with the W1 road car.
Important: The GTR has been deliberately stripped of the LMDh hybrid system mandatory for FIA. The engine — a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 — alone produces 720 hp (537 kW / 730 PS), surpassing the power of the electrified racing version, which is limited to 697 hp (520 kW / 707 PS) to balance competition conditions.
Thanks to the absence of batteries and electric motors, the GTR should also weigh less than the racing car, whose mass is 1030 kg (2270 lbs). McLaren explains it this way:
This decision ensures that customers get a purer track-day driving experience that delivers genuine hypercar performance and feel without unnecessary complexity, as well as a simpler ownership model where accessibility is the highest priority.
Identical twins
Both versions of the MCL-HY share a carbon fiber monocoque and exterior design. The prototype of the racing version has an orange livery inspired by the classic McLaren M6A driven by Bruce McLaren. The GTR, in turn, is painted in a more restrained silver color with orange accents.
Both hypercars feature a massive carbon fiber aerodynamic body kit, a long wheelbase, and a teardrop-shaped cockpit. Notable features include openings in the front fenders revealing the slick tires, a large central fin, louvered side panels, and thin LED taillights integrated into the rear wing endplates.
Project: Endurance program
Ownership of the MCL-HY GTR is available through the Project: Endurance program. It includes a comprehensive two-year track schedule with professional coaching, its own pit crew, and engineering support.
McLaren has not yet disclosed the price or the number of cars to be produced. It is only known that the offer will be strictly limited, and only a few customers will receive an invitation to purchase. First deliveries are expected at the end of 2027.
Racing version MCL-HY FIA
As for the racing MCL-HY FIA Hypercar, its testing will begin this month before homologation for its WEC debut in 2027. The stakes for this car are extremely high: McLaren aims to win the Triple Crown of motorsport, adding a modern Le Mans victory to its triumphs at the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500.
Thus, McLaren is not just returning to Le Mans, but is offering a unique business model: while creating a strict racing machine for victory, the company is simultaneously developing an even more powerful and lighter track toy for the wealthiest enthusiasts. The removal of the hybrid system in the GTR is not just a simplification, but a deliberate step towards driving purity, sharply contrasting with the increasingly complex technologies of modern racing prototypes. It also echoes the philosophy of the legendary F1 GTR, which performed equally successfully on the track and in the hands of private collectors.