McLaren has successfully completed a 30-hour endurance simulation with its LMDh, the MCL-HY, as part of its preparation for the World Endurance Championship (WEC) next season. This test took place at the Aragón circuit in Spain, and was designed to replicate the distance of the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The hybrid LMDh prototype, developed in collaboration with Dallara Automobili, completed over 30 hours of running. Less than three months before, the vehicle had passed an initial test in Varano, Italy, in early May, and this has been its third testing session, having already run at Imola and Magny-Cours.
McLaren’s testing continued last week with three additional days at Silverstone. James Barclay, executive director of McLaren Endurance Racing, commented that during the simulation there were no “major issues” that halted the process, although they did make stops to check some details of the vehicle.
While Barclay did not disclose the total distance covered by the LMDh during the test, he did mention that the prototype had completed what would be a typical 6-hour WEC race prior to the Aragón test. “The fact that we were able to complete 30 hours so early in our testing program is a good sign and has provided a lot of useful data,” he added.
The testing program will include more endurance simulations, although Barclay did not go into detail about the schedule for future tests. He emphasized the importance of these tests to identify critical aspects to improve in the vehicle.
Additionally, he mentioned that the MCL-HY features a 3-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, designed in collaboration with AutoTecnica Motori in Italy, contrasting with some competitors that use engines derived from existing ones.
The Aragón test has also been key for team cohesion, which includes members from various divisions of McLaren. “The camaraderie we have experienced as a group is impressive, even though we are only on our fifth test,” Barclay said.
Regarding the driver selection, McLaren has confirmed Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor as the first drivers for the upcoming season, with the addition of Gregoire Saucy and Richard Verschoor, as well as Ben Hanley, a veteran of United Autosports. Barclay indicated that there are more signed drivers, but they will not be announced immediately for contractual reasons.
The decision on whether McLaren United Autosports will participate with two or three drivers per vehicle in the WEC races is still underway, with an evaluation of pros and cons currently being discussed.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
