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Alex Lynn Joins McLaren Hypercar Programme for 2027 WEC and Le Mans

British driver Alex Lynn will move to McLaren Racing for its 2027 Hypercar programme alongside Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor once his Cadillac campaign concludes.

By Michael de Vries - 2026-10-15T16:28:00.000Z - 3 min read

Podium Hypercar 2024 WEC Fuji
Photo: Morio / Wikimedia Commons ยท CC BY-SA 4.0

Alex Lynn will join McLaren Racing for its Hypercar programme, securing a race seat for the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 33-year-old British driver makes the switch after concluding his current season with Cadillac Hertz Team Jota. Upon his arrival, Lynn will partner Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor as the British organisation expands its driver roster for the premier category.

Central to the project is McLaren's development of the MCL-HY prototype, built to contest the top class of sports car racing. With the 95th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans set for 2027, the team is assembling its lineup well in advance to establish foundations for the programme. Adding Lynn provides the team with immediate Hypercar experience alongside Jensen and Vanthoor as preparations gather momentum.

Behind the signing lies an extensive racing background across single-seaters, Formula E and endurance championships. Lynn took victory at the Macau Grand Prix in 2013 and claimed the GP3 title in 2014 before working as a Formula One development driver. In endurance competition, he collected overall honours at the 12 Hours of Sebring in both 2017 and 2022, followed by an LMGTE Pro class win at Le Mans in 2020 and the European Le Mans Series LMP2 championship in 2023. His credentials in the top tier were reinforced in 2025 when he secured overall pole position at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Joining the British outfit marks a significant career milestone for Lynn, who highlighted his pride in representing the brand. Calling the appointment the greatest honour a British driver could achieve, Lynn outlined two primary sporting objectives: capturing the FIA WEC world championship and securing victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Aware of the demands imposed by the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Lynn pointed out that natural speed must be matched by the ability to resist fatigue and sustain focus on minute details. He noted that the championship has become more competitive than ever, making success exceptionally difficult to achieve. Lynn added that Zak Brown, James Barclay and the wider McLaren Hypercar Team are putting the building blocks in place to construct a championship-contending operation.

Team Principal James Barclay endorsed Lynn's arrival, describing him as a proven winner whose technical feedback and familiarity with the championship will strengthen the programme. Barclay emphasised that Lynn has repeatedly performed on the sport's biggest stages, adding that his signing provides valuable depth as McLaren prepares to re-enter top-tier sports car competition.

As McLaren continues assembling its engineering and driving staff, the focus remains on long-term preparation ahead of the 2027 season. The British team recognises that competitive performance at Le Mans is determined long before cars arrive at the circuit, with driver selection playing a defining role in aligning the organisation toward its targets.

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