McLAREN RULES OUT LANDO NORRIS FOR 2027 LE MANS RACE
McLaren has ruled out Lando Norris competing in the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans, despite next year’s Formula 1 calendar leaving the famous endurance race free of an F1 clash. Norris recently tested McLaren’s new MCL-HY Hypercar, which had led to speculation that the reigning Formula 1 champion could make his Le Mans return next year.
Norris drove the MCL-HY at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimão on September 14, just one day after the Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring. It was the car’s fifth track test, and Norris completed 38 laps, covering around 177 kilometres while working on several development items.
The test was mainly focused on helping McLaren develop the car. Norris provided feedback based on his experience in Formula 1, while working alongside Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor. Jensen and Vanthoor are two of the drivers already confirmed for McLaren’s 2027 endurance programme.
McLaren’s Hypercar team principal James Barclay said the team invited Norris to the test because he wanted to drive the MCL-HY after previously running the car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Barclay also said McLaren would welcome Norris back to the Hypercar team in the future, without confirming a race programme for him.
The 2027 Formula 1 calendar created an opportunity for F1 drivers to compete at Le Mans because there is no Grand Prix on the weekend of June 12-13, when the 24 Hours of Le Mans is scheduled. The F1 races around that period are Monaco and Portugal, leaving a free weekend for the endurance classic.
However, Norris has indicated that simply having a free weekend would not be enough. He has said he would want to feel properly prepared before taking part in Le Mans rather than entering the race without enough experience in endurance racing. His last 24-hour race was the 2018 Daytona 24 Hours, where he competed in LMP2 alongside Fernando Alonso and Phil Hanson.
Norris has already expressed interest in competing at Le Mans in the future, and his recent MCL-HY test shows that he remains involved with McLaren’s endurance project. For 2027, however, the current situation is that he will not be part of McLaren’s Le Mans line-up.
McLaren is returning to the top class of endurance racing in 2027, 32 years after its famous overall victory at Le Mans in 1995. The MCL-HY will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class, with the programme covering the full WEC season and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The team has confirmed Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor as two of its 2027 drivers. Vanthoor brings major endurance experience to the project, including the 2024 FIA World Endurance Hypercar Drivers’ Championship and a 2018 Le Mans class victory. McLaren is also using Grégoire Saucy, Richard Verschoor and Ben Hanley during its driver development and testing programme.
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