United Autosports is stepping down as McLaren’s consultant within the LMGT3 class of the World Endurance Championship for subsequent yr to get replaced by Storage 59.
The British Storage 59 squad will subject a pair of McLaren 720S GT3 EVOs within the 2026 WEC as United gears up for its commencement to the Hypercar ranks with the marque’s forthcoming LMDh prototype in 2027.
Testing of the brand new McLaren LMDh, co-developed by Dallara Automobili, is scheduled to start early within the second quarter of subsequent yr.
United group principal Richard Dean mentioned: “It’s really an honour to race within the WEC, so this isn’t a choice we have now taken calmly. However when you may have the chance to race in Hypercar and type a group with McLaren Racing with the objective to compete for outright victory within the championship, together with the Le Mans 24 Hours – one thing we have now labored for, fought for, dreamed of for years – we’re going to be doing all the things in our energy to make it successful.
“I want to thank WEC for his or her assist and need Storage 59 and McLaren Automotive one of the best of luck subsequent season in LMGT3.”
The choice signifies that United won’t mount a full WEC marketing campaign for the primary time since becoming a member of the collection within the LMP2 division for the 2019/20 season.
#95 United Autosports Mclaren 720S LMGT3 Evo: Darren Leung, Sean Gelael, Marino Sato
Photograph by: Andreas Beil
It gained the title that season with Filipe Albuquerque and Phil Hanson, remaining in LMP2 with the ORECA-Gibson 07 till the category was faraway from the WEC forward of 2024.
United then switched to the brand new LMGT3 class with McLaren. It was introduced in June that the Leeds-based group had been chosen to run its WEC companion’s Hypercar programme underneath the McLaren United AS banner.
The Hypercar marketing campaign is a McLaren Racing undertaking distinct from one which comes underneath the remit of McLaren Automotive, which in April was bought by the CYVN Holdings funding arm of the Abu Dhabi authorities.
Storage 59 has been chosen by McLaren to take over its WEC entries, that are pending approval by collection organisers the FIA and the Vehicle Membership de l’Ouest.
It was one of many groups within the body for the McLaren deal forward of 2024 earlier than it went to United, which is co-owned by Dean and McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown.
Storage 59 is increasing from operating the 720S within the GT World Problem Europe the place it has flown the McLaren flag since 2023 and the GT Open Worldwide collection, which it joined with 720S final yr.
Storage 59 McLaren
Photograph by: Drew Gibson
It has confirmed it can run tandem campaigns within the WEC and in Europe subsequent yr. Crew principal Andrew Kirkaldy mentioned: “We’re proud to be partnering with McLaren on the world stage.
“Competing within the WEC with two McLaren GT3 automobiles isn’t only a development, it’s a press release of intent. We all know how intense the competitors is within the WEC however we imagine we have now the folks, the infrastructure and the resolve to be aggressive from day one.”
Storage 59 is relocating from its present premises in Brackley to a brand new facility in Northampton because it expands for subsequent season. Drivers have but to be confirmed by Storage 59 for its 2026 programmes.
McLaren Automotive CEO Nick Collins described motorsport as “intrinsic to the DNA” of the organisation. He added that it hopes to “proceed our sturdy progress and race-winning efficiency with our new racing companions in 2026”. United took a primary WEC class victory for McLaren on the Austin WEC spherical in September.
Storage 59 was launched in 2016 because the manufacturing unit racing arm of the McLaren GT operation run by CRS Racing that developed the primary two McLaren GT3 racers, the MP4-12C and the 650S.
It took its title from the race variety of the McLaren F1 GTR that gained Le Mans outright in 1995 with JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya.
Storage 59 subsequently ran Aston Martins in 2019-22 after McLaren Automotive took improvement of the marque’s third-generation of GT3 racer, the 720S, in home. The group is co-owned together with Kirkaldy by gentleman racer Alexander West and former British Touring Automotive Championship driver Chris Goodwin.
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