F1 ICONS McLaren set for race return after 26-year absence

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ICONIC F1 team set for race return after 26-year absence

McLaren will race at the Le Mans 24 for the first time in almost three decades

Kevin McKenna

Friday 14 June 2024 09:16 Updated: 20:41

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One of Formula 1's most iconic teams are gearing up to take part in a prestigious motorsport event for the first time in 26 years.

Le Mans makes its return to the sporting calendar this weekend, with 186 drivers aiming to cover the greatest distance in a 24-hour period in a bid to be crowned champion.

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A host of former F1 drivers will also feature at the legendary circuit, looking to repeat the feat of Aston Martin star Fernando Alonso, who triumphed at the event in 2018 and 2019.

That list includes 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button , as well as a number of familiar faces such as Mick Schumacher and French veteran Romain Grosjean.

McLaren will make their return to the legendary circuit for the first time since 1997

Former world champion Jenson Button will compete at Le Mans for the third time

McLaren looking to roll back the years

McLaren have been delivering impressive performances in F1 this season, with drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri offering a substantial challenge to the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari.

Though a constructors' title in F1 likely remains out of reach in 2024, the team will hope to showcase their extraordinary stature in the world of motorsport in north-west France, almost three decades after their last appearance.

Back in 1995, a McLaren F1 GTR was driven to outright victory by JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas, and Masanori Sukiya, beating a number of faster vehicles in a race which was subject to 17 hours of rainfall.

The team would return to the track for another three years, during which time they achieved a second-place finish and victory in the GT1 class in 1997.

Now, 26 years later, McLaren is finally making its return to the Circuit de la Sarthe, this time with the 720S GT3 Evo.