McLaren Automotive has announced its intention to enter the World Endurance Championship (WEC) from 2024.
Confirmed:
- The sports car manufacturer is aiming to enter the new LMGT3 class in partnership with United Autosports
- Final confirmation on the entry will come later this year
Context:
United Autosports is co-owned by Zak Brown, chief executive of McLaren Racing, making this an obvious move for both parties. WEC is proving itself as the most desired series for manufacturers, with Ferrari having entered this season, BMW, Lamborghini and Alpine all confirmed for 2024, and Aston Martin set to enter in 2025.
Comment:
Michael Leiters, chief executive of McLaren Automotive, said: “Motorsport remains a fundamental part of McLaren’s future of performance strategy, and we have long viewed the WEC as a natural fit for demonstrating the performance capabilities of our cars. This includes a return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans that is an intrinsic part of our enduring success in motorsport and in particular, the Triple Crown which is unique to McLaren as a supercar manufacturer and racing car constructor.
“We have selected United Autosports, who we feel shares our passion for endurance GT racing as well as the McLaren brand and, like McLaren, has a history of success in motorsport. United Autosports has communicated to the Automobile Club de l’Ouest its intent to field two McLaren 720S GT3 EVOs in the 2024 WEC and we hope that their entry will be accepted. And we are looking forward to racing our rivals in the WEC from 2024.”
Coming next:
The bid will go before the International Automobile Federation (FIA) selection committee in November, so it remains to be seen whether this entry will be successful. However, with WEC expanding exponentially, the decision to accept a manufacturer like McLaren is surely a formality.