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’s United Autosports within the WEC subsequent yr, whereas additionally enjoying a “vital” position within the improvement of the as-yet-unnamed LMDh prototype that can succeed the McLaren F1 GTR within the prime 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 finest championship end of eighth in 2023.
The 31-year-old’s transfer to McLaren follows his current change to the British model’s companion crew United Autosports, with which he’s campaigning the Oreca 07 LMP2 within the Asian Le Mans Collection 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 challenge from the early levels,” mentioned Jensen.
“Stepping onto the boulevard on the McLaren Know-how Centre offers me goosebumps – it not solely brings to life how a lot historical past McLaren has in System 1, however the 1995 Le Mans-winning F1 GTR jogs my memory that now we have an unbelievable endurance story to proceed.”
McLaren Hypercar prototype
Picture 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 underneath a special 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 concentrate on its Hypercar commitments.
McLaren’s foray into Hypercar in 2027 will see it compete in three of the most important classes on this planet: F1, IndyCar and WEC.
Whereas detailed technical specs in regards to the challenge stay underneath wraps, it has been confirmed that the automobile shall be based mostly on a Dallara chassis and powered by a twin-turbo V6 hybrid engine. The Woking-based squad didn’t provide a timeline for additional driver bulletins when confirming Jensen’s appointment.
“Asserting Mikkel is one other necessary milestone within the formation of our new Hypercar crew,” mentioned McLaren’s endurance crew principal James Barclay, who joined the squad after an extended stint with Jaguar in System E.
“He has already confirmed himself as some of the 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’s 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 subsequently an incredible match with our philosophy on individuals and tradition, which has been integral to McLaren Racing’s world championship-winning success in System 1. Our World Endurance Championship crew is coming collectively properly and Mikkel is a improbable addition.”
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