Lando Norris will test McLaren’s new MCL-HY Hypercar at the Algarve International Circuit as the manufacturer continues preparations for its return to the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027.
The reigning Formula 1 champion will drive the car at Portimão on Monday 14 September, giving McLaren another opportunity to gather development feedback as it builds towards the competitive debut of its new endurance programme.
The test will represent Norris’ first substantial running in the MCL-HY after he previously drove the car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It will also come at an important stage of McLaren’s development programme, with the manufacturer preparing the LMDh machine for both WEC competition and its return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Norris set for first proper MCL-HY test
Norris will travel to Portugal following the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit, where he started from pole position before an ill-timed Virtual Safety Car cost him the lead and dropped him to third at the finish.
His Portimão outing will provide a considerably more representative opportunity to experience the MCL-HY than his earlier Goodwood appearance. Rather than a demonstration run, the test will allow Norris to contribute to the development process while gaining a better understanding of McLaren’s new endurance prototype.
The session will also give McLaren an additional reference point as it continues developing the car ahead of 2027. Norris brings extensive experience from the team’s Formula 1 operation, and his feedback could give engineers another perspective as the Hypercar programme continues to mature.
McLaren prepares for 2027 WEC and Le Mans return
The MCL-HY will spearhead McLaren’s return to the top level of endurance racing in 2027, when the team enters the FIA WEC and contests the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
McLaren has designed the car around the LMDh regulations, with Dallara supplying the chassis. The MCL-HY will use a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged V6 engine and the category’s standardised hybrid system, with the overall power output capped at approximately 697 horsepower.
The programme will mark McLaren’s return to Le Mans more than three decades after its famous outright victory in 1995. As a result, development of the MCL-HY carries both sporting and historical importance for the manufacturer.
Therefore, Norris’ involvement adds another layer to that programme, particularly because he has repeatedly expressed an interest in racing at Le Mans at some point in his career.
Norris has openly discussed Le Mans ambitions
Norris has previously made clear that he remains interested in competing outside Formula 1 during his career, with Le Mans among the events he would like to experience.
Speaking in a video published by McLaren in May 2026, Norris discussed the possibility of exploring other forms of racing.
“You know, I still feel like I want to go and try other things,” he said. “Do Le Mans, now McLaren are doing Le Mans, so maybe go and do that at some point.
Although Norris stopped short of outlining a specific plan, he suggested that he still has plenty of time to decide how far he wants to expand his career beyond Formula 1.
“But I don’t know. I’m still young, so I’ve not thought of everything just yet. But, you know, in the future hopefully I have kids and they get into racing or something and then I can live the story again.”
He had already expressed similar interest during the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, when he told reporters he would “love” to take on Le Mans.
Portimão test increases link between Norris and endurance programme
The upcoming test does not confirm a future race appearance, but it will strengthen Norris’ involvement with McLaren’s endurance project.
His previous MCL-HY running came in the controlled environment of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he helped give the car its public debut. Portimão should provide a more meaningful opportunity to understand the car’s handling, systems and performance characteristics across a proper circuit.
The Algarve International Circuit also gives McLaren a demanding venue for development. Its combination of elevation changes, high-speed corners and heavy braking zones should allow the team to gather useful data while continuing to refine the car ahead of homologation.
For Norris, the test will provide an early introduction to the type of machinery he could potentially race in the future if his endurance ambitions develop into a competitive programme.
McLaren has not confirmed Norris for Le Mans
Despite Norris’ interest and his increasing involvement with the MCL-HY, McLaren has not confirmed that its Formula 1 driver will form part of the 2027 WEC line-up.
The manufacturer must still finalise the wider structure of its Hypercar programme, including the drivers who will contest the full season and any additional personnel it may use for longer endurance races.
That distinction remains important because running at Le Mans requires significantly more preparation than completing a test. Norris would need experience with multiclass traffic, WEC procedures, energy management and the strategic demands of endurance competition before stepping into one of McLaren’s cars at the championship’s biggest event.
Nevertheless, his Portimão test will represent a notable step beyond a demonstration appearance and will give McLaren a clearer understanding of how easily he can adapt to the MCL-HY.
Test comes after Spanish GP podium
Norris will head into the test immediately after another competitive Formula 1 weekend.
He started the Spanish Grand Prix from pole position but lost the race lead after the timing of a Virtual Safety Car worked against him. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli claimed victory ahead of Max Verstappen, while Norris completed the podium in third.
Antonelli’s result extended his advantage at the top of the Drivers’ Championship, while Norris remains fourth in the standings behind Lewis Hamilton.
The Portimão test will therefore place Norris into a very different environment only days after competing in Formula 1, giving him an opportunity to switch from McLaren’s Grand Prix machinery to a car designed for six, eight and 24-hour endurance racing.
MCL-HY test marks another step in McLaren’s development programme
McLaren still has significant development work ahead before the MCL-HY races for the first time in 2027.
The Portimão session will form part of that broader programme as the manufacturer continues refining the car and preparing for the demands of WEC competition. Norris’ participation should provide another source of feedback while allowing him to gain substantially more experience than he received during his Goodwood run.
For now, the test should primarily serve McLaren’s development objectives rather than signal a confirmed racing programme for Norris.
However, the combination of McLaren’s return to Le Mans, Norris’ previous comments about wanting to contest the race and his growing experience with the MCL-HY will ensure his Portimão outing attracts attention well beyond the immediate development work.
Whether that eventually leads to a Le Mans start remains uncertain. For now, Norris will take another step into McLaren’s endurance programme as the manufacturer continues preparing for its 2027 WEC return.
