McLaren has taken a significant step towards its return to top-level sportscar racing after the new MCL-HY completed its first on-track running in Italy. The McLaren Hypercar Team, which will enter the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2027 as McLaren United AS, gathered trackside for the first time at the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti in Varano de’ Melegari. After more than a year of intensive preparation, the newly formed outfit finally moved from planning to running. Shortly after 09:00 on Monday, Mikkel Jensen drove the prototype out of the garage and became the first driver to sample McLaren’s first top-category sportscar since the Le Mans-winning F1 GTR.
Jensen savours historic first run in MCL-HY as McLaren works towards 2027 debut
Jensen, who previously raced for Peugeot, joined McLaren’s Hypercar project at the start of the year. Therefore, the first rollout carried personal significance as well as technical value.
“It really was an honour to be the first person ever to drive the MCL-HY,” said the Dane, who was confirmed as a race driver for the famous British marque’s Hypercar effort back in January, to FIA WEC. “When I made the choice to sit this season out of FIA WEC and join McLaren Racing at the very beginning of its return to the top level of sportscar racing, it was so that I could be part of moments like this.
“To then have a very successful two days of running means I’m leaving Italy very happy with my choices. Huge credit to the team for hitting this milestone – after this rollout, I’m even more sure this is going to be an incredible programme to be part of.”
His comments underline the scale of the moment for both driver and manufacturer. Moreover, they show how strongly McLaren has already committed to building a long-term Hypercar platform before its race debut.
Saucy joins testing programme
After Jensen completed the first laps, Grégoire Saucy took over driving duties as the team continued its early development work. The 26-year-old Swiss driver will support McLaren throughout its 2026 testing schedule.
Saucy has progressed through the McLaren Driver Development Programme, and the MCL-HY test role now gives him a direct link to the brand’s top-level endurance ambitions.
“When I joined the McLaren Driver Development Programme, I dreamt it would lead to driving the McLaren Hypercar,” Saucy revealed. “To be asked to support the test programme is an opportunity I feel very fortunate to have.”
As a result, McLaren has paired an experienced endurance race driver with a young development talent as it starts gathering data from its new prototype.
Barclay praises team execution
McLaren Endurance Racing Executive Director and Team Principal of McLaren Hypercar Team, James Barclay, also highlighted the importance of meeting the team’s internal timeline.
The programme had targeted 4 May 2026 for the first rollout more than a year in advance. Consequently, seeing the car leave the garage on that exact date marked a major organisational achievement.
“Over 12 months ago, we set an ambitious target to roll out our FIA WEC Hypercar on 4 May, 2026,” added Barclay. “To stand trackside on that exact day and watch the MCL-HY leave the garage was a proud moment for everyone involved. The level of organisation, determination, collaboration and effort required to achieve that cannot be overstated.
“Our newly-formed team not only arrived on-schedule, but exceptionally well-prepared, with a car ready to execute its programme. Whilst it is early in our journey, with lots still to do to the level we want, achieving this milestone means we have started to create a very solid foundation upon which we can build our momentum for the 2026 test plan we have in-place.”
The rollout does not guarantee immediate success, but it gives McLaren a crucial foundation before its 2027 FIA WEC debut. The team now has a working car, a clear test plan and early driver feedback from Jensen and Saucy.
Furthermore, the successful two-day run gives the project momentum at a vital stage. McLaren must now convert its first mileage into reliability, performance and operational sharpness before it joins a fiercely competitive Hypercar field.
For Jensen, the opening test confirmed the value of his decision to pause his WEC race programme and join McLaren from the beginning. For the team, meanwhile, the MCL-HY’s first laps marked the start of a new chapter in one of motorsport’s most famous endurance stories.
