Mclaren’s New Le Mans Racer Has A Customer Twin That Beats It On Power

Some twenty years after the F1 GTR last made noise at La Sarthe, Woking is preparing another assault on endurance racing’s blue riband. McLaren is heading back to the top flight of endurance racing with the new MCL-HY FIA Hypercar, which will line up on the 2027 World Endurance Championship grid. The genuine news, however, is the MCL-HY GTR, a customer car that will be sold to a chosen few.

The track-only version is the more interesting machine on paper. Free from the regulatory straitjacket the racer has to wear, it is lighter and more powerful than the car competing for points. McLaren describes it as the first proper joint effort between McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive, and it has nothing in common with the W1 road car beyond the badge.

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Crucially, the GTR has been deliberately stripped of the FIA-mandated LMDh hybrid system. The twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 engine alone produces 720 hp (537 kW / 730 PS), surpassing the electrified setup of the racer, which is capped at 697 hp (520 kW / 707 PS) to ensure a level playing field.

Without the batteries and motors, the GTR should also weigh less than the 1,030 kg (2,270 lbs) racer. McLaren puts it like this: “This decision ensures that clients benefit from a purer driving experience on track days, one that delivers authentic Hypercar performance and feel without additional complexity, and a simpler ownership model that prioritises accessibility above all else.”

Identical Twins

The MCL-HY twins share the same carbon fiber monocoque chassis and exterior styling. The prototype of the racing version wears an orange livery inspired by the classic McLaren M6A driven by Bruce McLaren. On the other hand, the GTR is finished in a more understated silver with orange accents.

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Both hypercars feature oversized carbon fiber aero, a long wheelbase, and a cabin shaped like a droplet. Highlights include holes on the front fenders exposing the slick tires, a large central fin, gill-style vents on the sides, and slim LED taillights mounted on the endplates of the rear wing.

MCL-HY GTR

Available through the Project: Endurance program, GTR ownership includes an immersive two-year track schedule with professional coaching, a dedicated pit crew, and race engineering support.

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McLaren has not yet revealed pricing or how many it will build. What it has confirmed is that supply will be tightly controlled and only a handful of clients will be invited to buy one. First deliveries are expected late in 2027.

As for the MCL-HY FIA Hypercar, testing will begin later this month ahead of homologation for its WEC debut in 2027. The stakes for the endurance racer are high, as McLaren seeks to recapture the Triple Crown of Motorsports by adding a modern Le Mans trophy to its victories at the Monaco Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500.

MCL-HY FIA