Lando Norris tested extensively with the McLaren MCL-HY Hypercar for the first time on Monday. The reigning Formula 1 world champion swapped his F1 car for the vehicle with which the British brand will return to the top class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) from 2027.
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Norris traveled directly from Madrid to Portugal. He did so after a weekend in which he took pole position on the new Madring circuit and finished third in the first Grand Prix at the circuit. In Portimão, he then got into the MCL-HY for a test at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. Norris can help with the development of the hypercar, in which the Dutchman Richard Verschoor is also involved.
24 Hours of Le Mans in 2027
Norris has often expressed a desire to race the 24 Hours of Le Mans. McLaren will participate in that iconic race in 2027. Verschoor and Norris as two of the drivers in the team’s hypercar? Who knows.
The driving pleased Norris during the test anyway, he says. “I haven’t done a real test in something other than an F1 car for years,” Norris says. “That I was allowed to try something different now, while it still falls within the McLaren family, was very special.”
According to the Brit, his presence also provided useful information for the Hypercar team. “I hope I was able to give a different feeling, different comments, and a different perspective. That is useful for the team in this important testing period.”
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The test was not just a workday for Norris. “It was a fun day in a fast car on a beautiful circuit. I was able to help the team with preparations for the start of the WEC next year. I can’t wait to get back in the car in the future.”
The 26-year-old Brit drove a total of 38 laps after a first acclimatization lap, good for over 177 kilometers. The test was part of McLaren’s development program, preparing the Hypercar for the 2027 WEC season and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Norris worked during the test with McLaren factory driver Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor.
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