The new McLaren MCL-HY prototype has completed its first public laps at the Goodwood Festival of Speed with Formula 1 driver Lando Norris behind the wheel. This vehicle is designed to participate in the World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, scheduled for 2027.
Norris, 26, tackled the 1.16-mile track twice on Friday. On Saturday, McLaren’s development driver, Gregoire Saucy, took over while Norris tested a 2023 McLaren MCL60 Formula 1 car. Both drivers chose not to push the vehicle, given that it is a new model and any incident could pose a setback for the team’s technical development program.
“My first drive in the MCL-HY has been a real pleasure here at Goodwood. It’s always an honor to be here, especially to debut McLaren,” Norris commented. “It’s a great project for McLaren, and I had the opportunity to get a first impression, which is very special. I would love to do it on a circuit and really see what it’s capable of.”
After its official presentation last May, the McLaren MCL-HY had only conducted private tests in Italy until now. Its appearance at Goodwood has been in front of a large number of fans. James Barclay, the team director, commented that the event is the best motorsport spectacle in the world, and thus it was essential to take that into account.
The McLaren MCL-HY is built on the LMDh chassis provided by partner Oreca, also used by brands such as Acura, Alpine, and Ford. The vehicle is powered by a V6 twin-turbo engine with an LMDh hybrid system. According to regulations, this engine delivers a maximum combined power of up to 520 kW.
The coming months will be crucial for the team, with intensive testing planned that will include 30-hour endurance simulations. Barclay has mentioned that, after preparing exceptionally well, the real phase of hard work is now beginning.
Although development testing is mainly led by Mikkel Jensen, he was unable to attend the Goodwood Festival of Speed due to a scheduling conflict with a round of the IMSA SportsCar Championship at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Canada.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
