Lando Norris tests the McLaren MCL-HY hypercar in Portimão

A special assignment for Lando Norris: After the reigning Formula 1 champion secured pole position at the new F1 race in Madrid at the weekend and then finished third in the race, he travelled straight to Portimão in Portugal. At the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve there, Norris tested the McLaren MCL-HY. McLaren aims to enter the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) with this hypercar from 2027.

Norris completed a total of 38 laps on the 4.653-kilometre circuit in southern Portugal. According to McLaren, he is said to have provided valuable feedback. “First of all, a big thank you to the McLaren Hypercar team for letting me drive the MCL-HY,” said Norris. “It was great that they gave me the opportunity to have some fun and try something new – especially given their intensive preparations for the coming season. I think we’ve also gathered some valuable data. I hope I’ve been able to contribute new insights, observations and perspectives that will be useful to the team during this crucial testing phase.”

In fact, Portimão wasn’t the first time Norris had driven the MCL-HY. He had already driven the hypercar at the historic Goodwood Festival of Speed in the summer. “We at McLaren Racing are racing drivers through and through – and our involvement in Formula 1, the IndyCar Series and the World Endurance Championship opens up exciting opportunities for cross-series collaboration,” explained McLaren Hypercar Team Principal James Barclay. “Lando was very keen to drive the MCL-HY beyond his appearance at the Goodwood Hillclimb, which is why we invited him to our private test in Portimão. As expected, he took to it extremely quickly, slotted seamlessly into the team and provided valuable feedback for the car’s further development.”

Portimão was already the fifth test for the MCL-HY. With this race car, McLaren aims to shake up the Hypercar class of the FIA WEC in the 2027 season and take on the big names such as Ferrari, BMW and Toyota. The MCL-HY was developed in accordance with LMDh regulations. Dallara is the chassis partner. Also behind the wheel at Portimão were the two McLaren works drivers, Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor, who will be McLaren’s regular drivers in the FIA WEC in 2027.

“For me personally, it was brilliant to work with this team. It was also exciting to try out a new car. I haven’t done a proper test in anything other than a Formula 1 car for years; so it was something very special to be able to test something different – whilst still being part of the McLaren family. It was an enjoyable day in a fast car on a great circuit, during which I was able to support the team as they prepare for their WEC debut next year. A big thank you to everyone involved; I’m already looking forward to getting back into this car in the future,” said Norris, looking back on Portimão.

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