Lando Norris headed to the track after the Spanish Grand Prix, but nothing related to Formula 1. The driver completed a test of McLaren’s new hypercar, which is slated to join the World Endurance Championship in 2027.
The current F1 champion traveled to Portimão, in Portugal, to push the MCL-HY. The competitor completed 38 laps after a warm-up lap, with his program for the day including a series of development items to provide feedback to the team.
The Briton worked together with Mikkel Jensen, McLaren Racing’s factory driver, while Laurens Vanthoor, who will join in 2027, was also present at the test.
Just like Max Verstappen, Norris has never hidden his interest in racing the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the future. “First of all, a big thank you to the McLaren Hypercar team for letting me drive the MCL-HY. It was great that they gave me the chance to have a little fun and try something new, especially during the intense preparation phase for next year,” he said.
“I also believe we collected valuable data, and I hope I managed to bring a different set of sensations, feedback, and perspectives, which will be useful to the team during this crucial testing period. It was really enjoyable, personally, to work with this team, and it was exciting to try out a different car.”
“It’s been years since I did a real test with something other than an F1 car; so having the chance to try something different, and still as part of the McLaren family, was very special. It was a fun day, with a fast car on an excellent track, helping the team prepare for the start of the WEC next year. A big thanks to everyone involved; I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of that car in the future,” he concluded.
