After 32 years away, McLaren is coming back to the highest level of endurance racing. On 4 May 2026 in Woking, UK, the British marque revealed the MCL-HY — an LMDh hypercar built to contest the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans — alongside its track-only sibling, the MCL-HY GTR, available to just 30–35 VIP clients through the new Project: Endurance programme.
McLaren MCL-HY Specs — 707 PS Hybrid V6, 1,030 kg, Dallara Chassis
Built to ACO/IMSA LMDh regulations on a Dallara carbon-fibre monocoque, the race-spec MCL-HY pairs a twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 with the series-spec MGU hybrid system, sending up to 520 kW (707 PS) to the rear wheels. The minimum weight is fixed at 1,030 kg. The engine was developed in conjunction with Autotecnica Motori and was first heard on track at the Varano circuit, next to Dallara's factory.
The 2026 launch livery is a deliberate nod to history — orange paint inspired by the legendary McLaren M6A Can-Am car, and specifically the M6GT that founder Bruce McLaren dreamed of taking to La Sarthe. McLaren's last overall Le Mans victory came with the F1 GTR in 1995. The MCL-HY is built to make that history feel like a beginning, not an end.
McLaren MCL-HY GTR — 730 PS, No Hybrid, Just 35 Cars
The track-only MCL-HY GTR is the first co-engineered project between McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive. It has been deliberately stripped of the FIA-mandated LMDh hybrid system. The result is a lighter dry weight and, paradoxically, more power: the same 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 alone produces approximately 730 PS — 23 PS more than the race car, which is capped by Balance of Performance regulations.
Production is strictly capped at just 30 to 35 chassis. For context: Ferrari built 30 units of the 499P Modificata, Aston Martin 40 of the Valkyrie AMR Pro. The MCL-HY GTR will be among the rarest modern track-only hypercars money can buy — and Carscoops has already labelled it a likely "$20M blue-chip stock".
Project: Endurance — What 35 Clients Get for Their Money
Owners don't just get a car. Project: Endurance is a two-year, six-event track programme on premier international circuits, run on a fully arrive-and-drive basis. Each client gets professional driver coaching, a dedicated pit crew, and race engineering support. They are also embedded in the McLaren Hypercar Team's WEC operation — from testing through to the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans.
2026 Test Programme — Mikkel Jensen, United Autosports, Two Cars
On-track testing began in May 2026, led by works driver Mikkel Jensen. He is supported by United Autosports veteran Ben Hanley and McLaren Driver Development Programme prospects Gregoire Saucy and Richard Verschoor. The McLaren Hypercar Team will field two MCL-HY prototypes in WEC, operated in partnership with United Autosports. Homologation is targeted for winter 2026 ahead of the 2027 season opener.
“McLaren Racing now has three race cars ready to contest the biggest motorsport series in the world — Formula 1, INDYCAR and WEC. McLaren, its partners and fans can challenge for the Triple Crown of Monaco GP, INDY 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans together — a unique cross-series story that sets us apart.”
McLaren MCL-HY GTR vs Ferrari 499P Modificata
The MCL-HY GTR's most direct rival is the Ferrari 499P Modificata — another track-only customer car derived from a Le Mans-winning prototype, built in similarly tiny numbers. PistonHeads put it best: “If Ferrari can make a 499P Modificata, McLaren can make an MCL-HY GTR.” Pricing has not been confirmed, but in the rarefied air of post-LMDh customer cars, $5–8 million is a credible estimate.