WATCH: McLaren Racing fires up WEC Hypercar engine

The new purpose-built V6 twin turbo-charged engine - project-led by McLaren Endurance Racing’s Technical Team at the McLaren Technology Centre - fired-up on the dyno and, with it, brought McLaren United AS WEC Team’s first Hypercar engine to life. A pair of identical engines have since completed their initial dyno test phase, including the first laps of the Circuit de la Sarthe, the home of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“Words cannot describe how it felt to fire up the engine for the first time... but I’ll try, said James Barclay, Executive Director of McLaren Endurance Racing and Team Principal at McLaren United AS. To hear the engine, the heart of the car, come to life is a huge milestone for the team, and one we can be very proud of. Listening to and seeing the engine do its first laps of Le Mans is also extremely emotive: it is the sound that, if all goes to plan, will become the soundtrack to some great memories and achievements for the team.

“It is just the start, and we have a long way to go, but it’s a great milestone for the programme.  We’re learning and making improvements in line with what we would expect and, most importantly, we’re running to schedule with the project.”

The first yet-to-be-named McLaren Hypercar is currently in build, and getting the full car on the dyno is the next big milestone and focus for the team.