Exciting news alert as McLaren Automotive have confirmed to MotorMartin that it intends to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) from the 2024 season, with the provision of two 720S GT3 EVO cars for the United Autosports team in the new LMGT3 class.
Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023, McLaren is, of course, synonymous with motorsport and its customer racing activities began almost immediately with the McLaren M1 sports racing car in collaboration with Elva Sportscars.
Some history is perhaps needed now: McLaren returned to sportscar racing in the 1990s with the iconic F1 GTR in response to requests from customers. In addition to its legendary victory in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans – in which McLaren became the first race car constructor to win motor racing’s unofficial Triple Crown – many F1 GTR cars were supplied to customers teams. These included David Price Racing and GTC Competition, both winners of the BPR Global Endurance Series, the forerunner to the FIA GT World Championship. In 1997 a GTC Competition F1 GTR in Longtail specification won the GT1 class at Le Mans, finishing the race 29 laps ahead of the closest manufacturer rival.
United Autosports has become established as one of the most respected teams in sportscar and GT racing since forming in 2010. The Wakefield, Yorkshire-based team also has a long history with McLaren Motorsport being amongst the first to race the original 12C GT3 race car. The team has claimed numerous championship victories over the years including WEC and Le Mans 24 Hours in 2020, establishing a strong reputation amongst drivers including team alumni Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris and Juan Pablo Montoya.
Michael Leiters, CEO, McLaren Automotive commented to MotorMartin recently that.“Motorsport remains a fundamental part of McLaren’s future of performance strategy, and we have long viewed the WEC as a natural fit for demonstrating the performance capabilities of our cars. This includes a return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans that is an intrinsic part of our enduring success in motorsport and in particular, the Triple Crown which is unique to McLaren as a supercar manufacturer and racing car constructor. We have selected United Autosports, who we feel shares our passion for endurance GT racing as well as the McLaren brand and, like McLaren, has a history of success in motorsport.
United Autosports has communicated to the Automobile Club de l’Ouest its intent to field two McLaren 720S GT3 EVOs in the 2024 WEC and we hope that their entry will be accepted. And we are looking forward to racing our rivals in the WEC from 2024.”
It just remains to say a heartfelt good luck to all involved for 2024!