McLaren Racing has officially confirmed its return to top-tier endurance racing, announcing its entry into the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). This move marks the brand’s long-awaited comeback to elite endurance competition, including the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it will go head-to-head with industry giants like Ferrari, Porsche, Toyota, BMW, Aston Martin, Alpine, and Ford.
The announcement was brief but powerful. McLaren’s statement read: “1995. Legendary Le Mans victory. Triple Crown glory. Ready to make our mark on the world endurance stage once again. Hypercar. 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship.” This nostalgic nod references the 1995 Le Mans-winning F1 GTR, a car that made McLaren a legend in endurance racing history.
While details of the new race car remain under wraps, strong speculation points to a prototype built under LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) regulations. It’s likely to feature a twin-turbo V6 from the Artura supercar, combined with the series’ standard hybrid powertrain, aligning performance with efficiency and sustainability.
Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO, said it best: “We’re back.” With McLaren’s deep racing heritage and cutting-edge engineering, fans and rivals alike are eager to see how the British marque’s return will shape the hypercar category.
Whether McLaren can replicate its Formula 1 resurgence on the endurance stage remains to be seen—but one thing is clear: the battle at Le Mans just got a whole lot more exciting.