WEC: McLaren conducted the first tests of the hypercar MCL-HY.

      At McLaren, three days of testing for the MCL-HY hypercar have been completed in Imola as part of the preparation program for the car's debut in the top category of the World Endurance Championship, scheduled for 2027. During the tests, which took place from Tuesday to Thursday, the hypercar, painted in the signature orange color, was alternately driven by Lawrence Vanthoor, Mikkel Jensen, and Richard Verschoor, with Gregoire Saucy joining them on the last day of testing.

      As far as is known, the work on the track finished a couple of hours earlier than planned on Wednesday, as the car stopped on the track shortly after leaving the pit lane. It required the intervention of McLaren engineers, who were able to restart the engine, after which the hypercar returned to the pits under its own power. However, on the last day of testing, everything went smoothly again.

      These were the first full tests of the new car, but they were preceded by initial shakedown sessions held in May at another Italian racetrack in Varano. The testing program for the MCL-HY is planned for months ahead and is just beginning. It is being conducted by United Autosports, the team of Zak Brown, competing in endurance racing on both sides of the Atlantic.

      The McLaren Hypercar Team is based on specialists from this team, but the staffing process is ongoing – there will be about a hundred employees in the new team. It is led by James Barclay, the executive director of McLaren Endurance Racing.

      Testing is expected to continue at various European and Middle Eastern tracks, including those hosting WEC events. If the situation in the Middle East remains as it is now, a backup option has been planned for that case.

      Currently, the MCL-HY exists as a single unit, but in some time, a second hypercar will be ready, and then the testing process will accelerate.

      "Our first full tests, conducted by the McLaren Hypercar Team, are complete, but there is still a long way to go before we are ready to start the first round of the next WEC season," the team reported. "Thank you to the entire team for their hard work and determination. This past month, we have worked very successfully."