McLaren Racing has confirmed Grégoire Saucy as the fifth driver for its 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Hypercar programme, promoting the Swiss racer from its Driver Development Programme following a successful season of prototype racing and testing. The 26-year-old will compete in the manufacturer’s new MCL-HY Hypercar as McLaren prepares to return to the fight for outright victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Saucy joins Mikkel Jensen, Laurens Vanthoor, Alex Lynn and Leonardo Fornaroli in McLaren’s expanding driver line-up, leaving one position unfilled across its two-car programme. His promotion follows extensive involvement in developing the MCL-HY throughout 2026, alongside an impressive European Le Mans Series (ELMS) campaign in which he secured the LMP2 Drivers’ Championship with United Autosports.
The appointment also marks Saucy’s return to the WEC following a season away from the championship. Having previously represented McLaren in LMGT3 competition during 2024 and 2025, he will now take on the considerably greater challenge of competing against established manufacturers in the Hypercar category.
Saucy earns McLaren Hypercar promotion after successful development programme
Saucy’s promotion represents an important milestone in his relationship with McLaren, having joined the manufacturer’s Driver Development Programme following two seasons competing in the WEC’s LMGT3 category. His performances in GT3 machinery demonstrated the adaptability and technical understanding that subsequently earned him an opportunity to contribute to the MCL-HY’s development.
The Swiss driver spent much of 2026 working alongside McLaren’s engineering team, gaining valuable experience of the new prototype while competing in LMP2 machinery with United Autosports. His involvement provided an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities in a development environment before the manufacturer finalised its 2027 race line-up.
Saucy welcomed the appointment, acknowledging the competition for seats within McLaren’s ambitious new programme.
“I am over the moon to be given this opportunity. When I joined the McLaren Hypercar Team for its development season, I hoped it might lead to a full-time race seat, but I knew there was a great deal of experienced talent in the driver market.
He continued, “I stayed focused, worked hard and adapted quickly to the MCL-HY. I have loved every second with this team: the standards are incredibly high, the people are supportive and the atmosphere is fantastic. I cannot wait to continue this journey. Thank you to Zak for bringing me into the McLaren Driver Development Programme and to James for trusting me with this opportunity.”
Saucy’s junior career and LMGT3 experience provide strong foundation
Before transitioning into endurance racing, Saucy established himself as a promising single-seater driver through a successful junior career. His most significant achievement came in 2021, when he dominated the Formula Regional European Championship, securing eight victories on his way to the Drivers’ Championship.
He subsequently spent two seasons competing in FIA Formula 3 before moving into sportscar racing with United Autosports in 2024. The transition introduced him to the different demands of multiclass competition, including traffic management, endurance strategy and sharing machinery with teammates.
Saucy competed in the WEC’s LMGT3 category with United Autosports during both 2024 and 2025, driving the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo. Although he did not secure a class victory, he demonstrated strong pace throughout his campaigns, finishing second in Qatar by less than half a second and narrowly missing the podium on four additional occasions.
Those performances strengthened his relationship with McLaren and ultimately contributed to his recruitment into its development programme. They also provided valuable experience of working within a manufacturer-supported racing operation, particularly as the British marque began preparing for its return to prototype competition.
ELMS championship success strengthens Saucy’s Hypercar credentials
Saucy further demonstrated his potential during the 2026 ELMS season, securing the overall LMP2 Drivers’ Championship alongside Ben Hanley and Griffin Peebles in United Autosports’ #22 Oreca 07-Gibson.
The trio delivered a highly consistent campaign, claiming two victories and three additional podium finishes across the six-round championship. Their success included victory at Le Castellet and another commanding performance during the season finale at Portimão, where United secured its first ELMS LMP2 title since 2020.
Saucy played an important role in the decisive Portuguese weekend, producing a 1:31.140 during qualifying to secure pole position and extend the team’s championship advantage. Peebles subsequently controlled the opening stint before Saucy and Hanley maintained the lead, with the latter crossing the finish line 12.089 seconds ahead of IDEC Sport.
The decisive Portimão victory and championship triumph confirmed Saucy, Hanley and Peebles as the 2026 LMP2 Drivers’ Champions, completing an impressive season for the United Autosports crew.
Saucy’s prototype experience will now provide an important foundation for his transition to Hypercar machinery, where he will encounter greater performance demands and considerably stronger manufacturer competition.
Saucy plays key role in McLaren MCL-HY development
Alongside his successful ELMS campaign, Saucy has played an active role in McLaren’s preparations for its 2027 WEC debut. The manufacturer introduced its new MCL-HY Hypercar during an initial rollout at the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti in Varano, Italy, on 4 May, with Saucy and fellow works driver Jensen completing the car’s first running.
The initial rollout of McLaren’s new Hypercar marked the beginning of an extensive development programme designed to prepare the prototype for its first competitive season.
Since then, Saucy has participated in all but one of the team’s development tests, working closely with engineers to evaluate the car’s performance and provide feedback as McLaren continues refining the package.
He also drove the MCL-HY during its first public appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, sharing demonstration duties with reigning F1 World Champion Lando Norris.
The Hypercar’s public debut at Goodwood provided an opportunity to showcase McLaren’s new endurance racing project while allowing Saucy to continue gaining experience in the machinery.
His extensive involvement in development has therefore provided a direct route into the manufacturer’s full-time racing programme.
McLaren confirms five drivers for ambitious 2027 WEC campaign
Saucy becomes the fifth confirmed member of McLaren’s six-driver line-up, joining a combination of established endurance racing competitors and emerging talents as the manufacturer prepares to field two Hypercars in 2027.
Jensen became the first driver announced for the project, bringing previous Hypercar experience with Peugeot alongside an extensive background in prototype racing. McLaren subsequently confirmed Vanthoor, the 2024 FIA WEC Hypercar Drivers’ Champion, strengthening its line-up with another established competitor.
The manufacturer continued expanding its roster in October by announcing Lynn, who will leave Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA following the conclusion of the 2026 WEC season. His arrival adds further experience of competing at the front of the Hypercar category.
Most recently, McLaren confirmed reigning F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli as its fourth driver, providing the Italian with an opportunity to transition into endurance racing after his successful single-seater career.
Saucy’s promotion now leaves only one position unfilled, although McLaren has yet to confirm how its drivers will be distributed across the two cars.
Barclay praises Saucy’s speed, commitment and adaptability
McLaren Hypercar Team Principal James Barclay welcomed Saucy’s promotion, highlighting the Swiss driver’s progress throughout the MCL-HY development programme and his contribution to the team’s preparations.
Barclay believes Saucy’s appointment demonstrates the value of McLaren’s Driver Development Programme, particularly its ability to provide talented young drivers with a pathway towards factory racing opportunities.
“Grégoire’s promotion is exactly what the McLaren Driver Development Programme is designed to achieve: identifying exceptional talent, supporting that development and creating a genuine pathway to a works race seat. He has impressed us throughout the MCL-HY test programme with his pace, methodical approach within the team and his progress over the intensive testing schedule. He has earned this opportunity, and we are excited to see him take the next step in his career with McLaren.”
The team principal’s assessment reflects Saucy’s progress throughout 2026, during which he combined the demands of an international LMP2 championship campaign with an intensive testing schedule.
His ability to adapt to unfamiliar machinery while contributing to the development of McLaren’s new Hypercar has strengthened his position within the organisation, ultimately earning him a place in its inaugural WEC line-up.
McLaren continues preparations for historic Le Mans return
Saucy’s appointment represents another important step as McLaren prepares to return to top-level endurance racing for the first time in more than three decades.
The manufacturer will compete in the WEC’s Hypercar category with the MCL-HY, targeting a return to outright contention at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. McLaren previously secured overall victory at the endurance classic in 1995, when the F1 GTR triumphed on the manufacturer’s first appearance.
The new programme will operate in partnership with United Autosports, combining McLaren’s engineering resources with the team’s extensive experience across international prototype and GT racing.
Development of the MCL-HY has continued throughout 2026, with Norris also contributing to the testing programme. The F1 World Champion recently completed additional running at Portimão, providing another opportunity for McLaren to evaluate its new prototype.
The manufacturer now has five confirmed drivers as it approaches its competitive debut, with only one seat remaining unannounced.
For Saucy, the appointment completes an important progression from Formula Regional champion to successful GT3 competitor, ELMS LMP2 champion and now McLaren factory Hypercar driver. Having contributed to the MCL-HY’s development from its earliest running, the Swiss racer will enter the 2027 season with valuable familiarity as he prepares for the biggest challenge of his career.
