WEC News: Zak Brown Teases McLaren Entry To Hypercar Category

McLaren, led by CEO Zak Brown, is actively considering entering the WEC Hypercar category by 2027.

Sep 8, 2023; Salinas, California, USA; McLaren Racing chief executive officer Zak Brown speaks to announce driver David Malukas (18) move to Arrow McLaren Racing for the 2024 season before free practice at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The prospect of McLaren entering the elite Hypercar category in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) has gained serious traction following announcements and optimistic commentary from the team’s leadership. With the ACO and FIA’s decision to extend the current ruleset until the end of 2029, McLaren is actively assessing the viability of developing a competitive Hypercar program, eyeing a potential launch by the 2027 season.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown underlined the strategic timing facilitated by the rules extension. He commented, as quoted by Daily Sports Car:

“I think cost in all motorsport is critically important and I think the extension definitely helps our business model that we have laid out internally. ‘If’ and I’d like to say it’s more ‘when’ than if we step up to the top class, the extension is favourable.

“It gives us more breathing space because you wouldn’t want to enter a championship in its last season.”

He added:

“We think it [a Hypercar programme] would be great for the brand. We love sportscar racing, we have a lot of stuff going on in our business. On the racing side, we needed to get our Formula One team back to the from and it is now very close. Our IndyCar team is also strong.

“We need to make sure that if we take on another project it doesn’t disrupt our activities. I think we are not far away from feeling comfortable and I think we could take on another project without diluting our Formula One team, our IndyCar team or electric racing.

“We are turning a profit. McLaren Racing is very healthy. So then it’s just about timing. It takes a couple of years to get ready, so if you were going in 2026 you’d need to make a decision tomorrow, and we are not going to make one tomorrow. It’s just about getting our businesses aligned. But I think the excitement is there.

“I think you are looking at 2027 at the soonest.”

Brown and McLaren’s Chief Executive of Technology, Michael Leiters, also discussed how engine compatibility with McLaren’s road cars would be ideal, though not at the expense of performance. Leiters noted:

“First we have to take a decision on when and how to do that [the programme] and then we come to the engine.

"It would be perfect to have an engine in line with the road car programmes, that would be the dream. But then we would never compromise anything for competitiveness.”

Regarding the operational side of the Hypercar program, while it is still early to pinpoint which team would manage the Hypercar operations, Brown’s association with United Autosports offers a potential hint. United Autosports already competes in WEC’s LMGT3 class and could be a front-runner to spearhead the Hypercar project owing to its existing infrastructure and expertise.

The broader context of a potential WEC engagement aligns with a landmark occasion on the horizon: the 30th anniversary of McLaren’s historic Le Mans victory in 1995. This event might well serve as a poetic backdrop for the brand’s latest challenge in top-tier endurance racing, promising to add a celebrative layer to its competitive ambitions.