18:06 04-05-2026

McLaren Unveils MCL-HY and MCL-HY GTR Endurance Models

McLaren's new MCL-HY (707 hp hybrid for Le Mans) and MCL-HY GTR (730 hp track car) mark a return to endurance racing. Project: Endurance program details inside.

McLaren has unveiled two new models that share a common DNA: the MCL-HY and the MCL-HY GTR. The former is being developed for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans, while the latter is a track-only customer car forming part of the Project: Endurance program.

This marks McLaren's return to top-tier endurance racing. The brand is once again chasing the Triple Crown of motorsport—victories at the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Monaco Grand Prix. While the MCL-HY is still nearly a year away from completing its homologation testing, the key specifications have already been released.

Built to ACO/IMSA LMDh regulations, the race-spec MCL-HY features a lightweight carbon-fiber monocoque, a twin-turbo V6 engine, and an MGU hybrid system that together deliver a combined output of 520 kW, or roughly 707 horsepower. Minimum weight is quoted at 1,030 kg.

The MCL-HY GTR looks like a close relative, but it is engineered differently. It's not intended for WEC competition; instead, it's a customer track machine developed in parallel with the race-going hypercar. The hybrid component has been removed, but the 2.9-liter racing biturbo V6 churns out 730 hp. Dry weight is lower than that of the prototype racer, though McLaren has not disclosed the exact figure.

Project: Endurance is about more than just purchasing a rare car. Buyers are enrolled in a two-year program encompassing six track events at international circuits. The arrive-and-drive format means owners simply show up to a fully prepared session, complete with engineering support, a pit crew, and professional driving coaches.

The program involves McLaren Hypercar Team factory driver Mikkel Jensen, McLaren Driver Development Programme members Grégoire Saucy and Richard Verschoor, and United Autosports driver Ben Hanley. In effect, customers aren't just buying a hypercar—they're gaining access to an experience that mirrors the workings of a real race team.

For the MCL-HY, this is just the beginning. Ahead lie homologation, further testing, and preparation for the 2027 WEC season. McLaren is re-entering a discipline where merely being quick over a single lap isn't enough; the car must prove it can run flat-out for a full 24 hours.