McLaren’s Le Mans Ambitions Get a Boost with WEC Regulations Extension
McLaren Racing’s plans to return to the top step of the podium at the Le Mans 24 Hours, 29 years after their historic 1995 victory, have received a significant boost with the extension of the current prototype regulations until 2029.
Zak Brown’s Perspective
Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, has reiterated that an entry into either the Hypercar or GTP classes of the FIA WEC and the IMSA SportsCar Championships is now a matter of “when, not if.” The decision to prolong the lifespan of Le Mans Hypercar and LMDh regulations by two years beyond 2027 has given McLaren “more breathing space” to develop their programme, according to Brown.
“We would have to work on a two-year lead time: if we were talking about ’26, we would need to make a decision tomorrow,” Brown explained. “You wouldn’t want to enter a championship [category] in its last season.” Cost control is a critical factor in this decision, as Brown emphasized that “costs in all motorsport are critically important, and I think the extension definitely helps our business model that we have laid out internally.”
McLaren’s Scenario Evaluation
McLaren is currently “looking at all the scenarios” for their top-flight sportscar campaign, with a clear focus on the WEC and potentially customer cars in IMSA. Brown confirmed that LMDh would be the more favourable category for the team, with the ultimate goal of winning Le Mans.
The 2023 WEC season, which sees McLaren competing in the LMGT3 class with United Autosports, is crucial in laying the groundwork for a potential step up in class. Brown highlighted the importance of securing commercial partners and gauging the commercial market through their GT3 campaign.
Balancing Priorities
However, Brown also stressed that a top-flight sportscar programme must not distract from McLaren Racing’s other activities in Formula 1, IndyCar, Formula E, and Extreme E. “If we take on another project, we have to make sure it doesn’t disrupt our other activities,” he said.
Technical Considerations
Michael Leiters, CEO of McLaren Automotive, emphasized that no key technical decisions have been made regarding a potential LMDh project, including the choice of engine. “First, we have to decide when and how to do it, and then we come to the engine,” he explained. While an engine aligned with their road car programmes would be the ideal scenario, Leiters insisted that competitiveness would never be compromised.
As McLaren continues to weigh its options, one thing is certain – their WEC 2024 and WEC 2023 ambitions are stronger than ever, with the extension of the current prototype regulations providing a welcome boost to their plans.
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