McLaren has named former Peugeot driver Mikkel Jensen as the primary signing for its World Endurance Championship Hypercar programme for 2027.
The Dane will race for McLaren United Autosports within the WEC subsequent yr, whereas additionally enjoying a “important” function within the improvement of the as-yet-unnamed LMDh prototype that may succeed the McLaren F1 GTR within the high echelon of sportscar racing.
Jensen brings a wealth of expertise throughout GT and prototype ranks, having spent the final three-and-a-half seasons representing Peugeot in Hypercar. In 26 begins with the Stellantis marque, he scored three podiums within the 9X8 LMH and achieved a greatest championship end of eighth in 2023.
The 31-year-old’s transfer to McLaren follows his latest swap to the British model’s associate staff United Autosports, with which he’s campaigning the Oreca 07 LMP2 within the Asian Le Mans Sequence and this month’s Daytona 24 Hours.
“I’m extraordinarily proud to be becoming a member of the world championship-winning McLaren household and excited to be part of its Hypercar undertaking from the early phases,” stated Jensen.
“Stepping onto the boulevard on the McLaren Expertise Centre offers me goosebumps – it not solely brings to life how a lot historical past McLaren has in Method 1, however the 1995 Le Mans-winning F1 GTR jogs my memory that we’ve got an unimaginable endurance story to proceed.”
McLaren Hypercar prototype
Photograph by: Nikolaz Godet
McLaren is already current within the WEC’s LMGT3 division, however the 720S GT3 programme is managed by McLaren Automotive, which is operated beneath a unique possession construction.
United Autosports, co-owned by McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, had been operating McLaren’s LMGT3 effort for the previous two years, however will hand over the reins to Storage 59 in 2026 to deal with its Hypercar commitments.
McLaren’s foray into Hypercar in 2027 will see it compete in three of the largest classes on this planet: F1, IndyCar and WEC.
Whereas detailed technical specs in regards to the undertaking stay beneath wraps, it has been confirmed that the automotive will probably be primarily based on a Dallara chassis and powered by a twin-turbo V6 hybrid engine. The Woking-based squad didn’t supply a timeline for additional driver bulletins when confirming Jensen’s appointment.
“Asserting Mikkel is one other vital milestone within the formation of our new Hypercar staff,” stated McLaren’s endurance staff principal James Barclay, who joined the squad after an extended stint with Jaguar in Method E.
“He has already confirmed himself as one of the vital aggressive and well-rounded sportscar racing drivers on this planet and can convey with him a wealth of expertise from the Hypercar class. We’ll enter the World Endurance Championship and Le Mans in what is going to arguably be the most-competitive season of all time.
“We’re delighted to have a driver of Mikkel’s calibre, expertise and future potential. Like us, he’s a real racer and is due to this fact an incredible match with our philosophy on individuals and tradition, which has been integral to McLaren Racing’s world championship-winning success in Method 1. Our World Endurance Championship staff is coming collectively properly and Mikkel is a incredible addition.”
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