McLaren Racing and United Autosports Announce Hypercar Plans for WEC
Austin, TX – McLaren Racing and United Autosports have unveiled their intentions to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) under the banner of McLaren United AS. CEO Zak Brown confirmed the world premiere of their LMDh prototype is scheduled for tomorrow, with on-track testing set for the first half of 2026.
Brown emphasized the strategic choice of the LMDh platform, featuring a Dallara chassis and a V6 twin-turbo engine, developed collaboratively with ATM. "We’ve got a great working relationship with Dallara," he stated, noting the flexible opportunity to race globally, particularly at Le Mans, a race McLaren aims to win as part of the "Triple Crown."
Recent developments that have enabled this entry include the sale of McLaren Automotive to CYVN Holdings and the company’s exit from Formula E, which will allow focus on this new program. "The timing is good. We don’t want to be in more than three racing series at any one time," Brown remarked, highlighting the organization’s capacity management strategy.
McLaren will prioritize the WEC, with no immediate plans for IMSA involvement until at least 2028. "We wouldn’t want to go into two championships at the same time," Brown reiterated. Should the company decide to enter IMSA, it would likely be as a factory effort rather than customer-based.
Driver selections for the inaugural WEC season will draw from existing McLaren Racing talent and other potential candidates. "As soon as we need racing drivers, we’ll have racing drivers," Brown added.
Richard Dean, CEO of United Autosports, confirmed that the new program will not detract from their commitments to the LMGT3 class or LMP2 racing in both IMSA and the European Le Mans Series. "It’s a little too early to say, but you’ll see exactly the same thing from United in 2026," he stated.
This ambitious venture underscores McLaren’s return to prototype racing, aligning with their storied legacy in endurance sports. As preparations ramp up for 2026 and beyond, the motorsports community will be watching closely.
