McLaren run Imola test with car that would be banned in F1

Photo: © IMAGO

McLaren

McLaren run Imola test with car that would be banned in F1

McLaren have a new hypercar!

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 29 May 2026 09:20

McLaren have been testing a brand new machine around the former home of F1's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

As well as F1, McLaren Racing also compete in many other series around the world, with their aim to be as successful as they are in F1, where they are the second most successful outfit of all time.

And after recently leaving Formula E, McLaren are set to join the World Endurance Championship (WEC), with an entry in the series set to satisfy CEO Zak Brown's desire to be competing in the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans race once more and for the team to reclaim motorsport's triple crown.

Article continues under video

McLaren will be using a brand new hypercar for their entry, with the MCL-HY GTR the machine that they hope can propel them to a first Le Mans win since 1995.

Now, the MCL-HY GTR has been given some track time, with a test run at the Imola circuit in Italy.

Laurens Vanthoor and Ben Hanley took turns driving the car around the track in what was supposed to be a four-hour test run, but it came to an abrupt end after less than three hours following a technical problem.

F1 HEADLINES: FIA rule can stop driver swap, Mercedes battle crosses line

McLaren's hypercar project

The MCL-HY GTR is also available to be purchased, if somebody has the money to splash the cash on an altered version of the car that'll compete in the WEC.

For the variant that can be bought, the racing hybrid system is removed, with circa 730PS generated from the ICE - exceeding the regulated 707PS in WEC.

No price has been given as of yet for this piece of engineering ingenuity, but Brown has reiterated how proud he is that the team can share their WEC journey more closely with fans.

McLaren Racing CEO Brown said: "McLaren Racing now has three race cars ready to contest the biggest motorsport series in the world; Formula 1, IndyCar and WEC.

"This means McLaren, its partners, customers 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."

F1 McLaren Zak Brown World Endurance Championship