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McLaren Automotive said today it has been confirmed as a manufacturer represented in the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with nominated racing partner United Autosports . It will contest the championship in the LMGT3 class with two 720S GT3 EVO cars. This means the McLaren name will return to Le Mans 29 years after winning the race on its debut appearance in 1995, completing the ‘Triple Crown’ of victories at Le Mans, the Indianapolis 500 and Monaco Grand Prix. To celebrate McLaren’s return to endurance racing, the entries will pay tribute to the debut with race numbers #59 -the race number of the winning F1 GTR – and #95, the year of the landmark win.
“We are delighted to have been confirmed for the 2024 WEC season and I would like to thank the Automobile Club de l’Ouest for our inclusion within a hugely competitive LMGT3 class. Motorsport is fundamental to our brand and we build our cars using technology from the race track to give them the supreme performance that our customers expect from a McLaren,” said Michael Leiters, CEO, McLaren Automotive.
The 2024 WEC begins on March 2 in Qatar, the first round of eight in a championship that ends in Bahrain on November 2. The championship includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 15-16, in which McLaren cars will compete for the first time since 1998.
McLaren’s return to Le Mans will be marked by at least three entries for the 720S GT3 EVO, with customer team Inception Racing expected to appear on the grid alongside the two United Autosport cars. This follows success for Brendan Iribe in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, where he gained an automatic entry into the Le Mans race by winning the Bob Akin Award for the highest-placed Bronze-rated driver in the GTD class.
Like McLaren, United Autosports has won at Le Mans in the LMP2 class in 2020. The team has commenced preparations for the 2024 campaign, with the 720S GT3 EVO test program now underway.
“We are very proud and grateful to see the confirmation of the two WEC entries for United Autosports and McLaren; proud to be representing McLaren in a World championship and of course for their return to the Le Mans 24 Hours, and grateful because we know the success of the WEC has increased demand for places on the grid. This is a show of faith from both the WEC and McLaren in our project and we are determined to repay that faith with results on track,” said Richard Dean, CEO, United Autosports
“It will be a very exciting season and extremely close between the teams, which is why we have nominated United Autosports as our racing partner. This team has an excellent reputation in the endurance racing arena, and I look forward to our return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in which we will see 720S GT3 EVO cars in action,” said Leiters.
McLaren Group
The McLaren Group says it is a global leader in luxury automotive and elite motorsports with a focus on its Automotive supercar and Racing businesses. Founded in 1963 by racer, engineer and entrepreneur Bruce McLaren, the Group is formed of McLaren Automotive, which hand-builds lightweight supercars; and a majority stake in McLaren Racing which competes in the Formula 1 World Championship and INDYCAR in the US. The Group is globally headquartered at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking, Surrey, England.
McLaren Automotive
- Launched in 2010, the company is now the largest part of the McLaren Group. The product portfolio of GT, supercar, Motorsport and Ultimate models are retailed through more than 100 retailers in more than 40 markets globally.
- McLaren in 1981 introduced a lightweight and strong carbon fiber chassis into Formula 1 with the McLaren MP4/1.
- In 1993 it designed and built the McLaren F1 road car – the company has not built a car without a carbon fiber chassis since. As part of the Ultimate Series, McLaren was the first to deliver a hybrid hypercar, the McLaren P1™.
- In 2016, it announced a new hybrid hyper-GT and confirmed in 2018 that the next Ultimate car would be the Speedtail.
- In 2019 McLaren launched the 600LT Spider, the new GT and the track-only McLaren Senna GTR. It also unveiled the 620R and McLaren Elva before launching the 765LT the following year.
- In 2021, the company unveiled its all-new high-performance hybrid supercar, the McLaren Artura. The Artura is the first McLaren to benefit from the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA). The MCLA is designed, developed and manufactured at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre in the Sheffield region of England and will spearhead the brand’s electrified future.
- In 2022 saw McLaren announce the Solus GT, a single-seat, closed-cockpit track car which brought to life a futuristic concept that was originally created for virtual gaming.
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McLaren Returns to Le Mans in 2024 FIA WEC
Click for more papaya.
McLaren Automotive said today it has been confirmed as a manufacturer represented in the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with nominated racing partner United Autosports . It will contest the championship in the LMGT3 class with two 720S GT3 EVO cars. This means the McLaren name will return to Le Mans 29 years after winning the race on its debut appearance in 1995, completing the ‘Triple Crown’ of victories at Le Mans, the Indianapolis 500 and Monaco Grand Prix. To celebrate McLaren’s return to endurance racing, the entries will pay tribute to the debut with race numbers #59 -the race number of the winning F1 GTR – and #95, the year of the landmark win.
“We are delighted to have been confirmed for the 2024 WEC season and I would like to thank the Automobile Club de l’Ouest for our inclusion within a hugely competitive LMGT3 class. Motorsport is fundamental to our brand and we build our cars using technology from the race track to give them the supreme performance that our customers expect from a McLaren,” said Michael Leiters, CEO, McLaren Automotive.
The 2024 WEC begins on March 2 in Qatar, the first round of eight in a championship that ends in Bahrain on November 2. The championship includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 15-16, in which McLaren cars will compete for the first time since 1998.
McLaren’s return to Le Mans will be marked by at least three entries for the 720S GT3 EVO, with customer team Inception Racing expected to appear on the grid alongside the two United Autosport cars. This follows success for Brendan Iribe in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, where he gained an automatic entry into the Le Mans race by winning the Bob Akin Award for the highest-placed Bronze-rated driver in the GTD class.
Like McLaren, United Autosports has won at Le Mans in the LMP2 class in 2020. The team has commenced preparations for the 2024 campaign, with the 720S GT3 EVO test program now underway.
“We are very proud and grateful to see the confirmation of the two WEC entries for United Autosports and McLaren; proud to be representing McLaren in a World championship and of course for their return to the Le Mans 24 Hours, and grateful because we know the success of the WEC has increased demand for places on the grid. This is a show of faith from both the WEC and McLaren in our project and we are determined to repay that faith with results on track,” said Richard Dean, CEO, United Autosports
“It will be a very exciting season and extremely close between the teams, which is why we have nominated United Autosports as our racing partner. This team has an excellent reputation in the endurance racing arena, and I look forward to our return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in which we will see 720S GT3 EVO cars in action,” said Leiters.
McLaren Group
The McLaren Group says it is a global leader in luxury automotive and elite motorsports with a focus on its Automotive supercar and Racing businesses. Founded in 1963 by racer, engineer and entrepreneur Bruce McLaren, the Group is formed of McLaren Automotive, which hand-builds lightweight supercars; and a majority stake in McLaren Racing which competes in the Formula 1 World Championship and INDYCAR in the US. The Group is globally headquartered at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking, Surrey, England.
McLaren Automotive
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