Norris to test McLaren’s Hypercar at Portimão before Azerbaijan GP
· Yahoo Sports
Lando Norris will head to Portimão on the Monday after the Spanish Grand Prix for a test in McLaren’s 2027 Hypercar. The reigning world champion already got behind the wheel of the new machine earlier this year, and will now rack up mileage on Portuguese asphalt to further contribute to the Hypercar’s development.
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McLaren announced in June 2026 that, alongside Formula 1, GT and IndyCar, they would once again target the top tier of endurance racing. The Hypercar, the MCL-HY, will make its debut in the World Endurance Championship in 2027. A major milestone was already reached late last year when the car ran for more than thirty hours during a test at Motorland Aragón. Naturally, the car is also being meticulously prepared for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2027.
This Monday, McLaren will get some extra help: Norris will take the wheel of the MCL-HY at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, GPblog can confirm. This allows McLaren to tap into the feedback of the reigning world champion, who was already given free rein with the Hypercar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Brit had already hinted back then at a potential future entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
"You know, I still feel like I want to go and try other things. Do Le Mans, now McLaren are doing Le Mans, so maybe go and do that at some point," said Norris earlier in the year. The reigning world champion is no stranger to endurance racing. In 2018, he competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona in the LMP2 car of United Autosports (owned by Zak Brown), alongside Fernando Alonso and Philip Hanson.
Verstappen and Norris share the same ambition
Photo: Red Bull Content PoolPhoto: Red Bull Content Pool
In that respect, there is a strong similarity between Max Verstappen and Norris. Both world champions have made no secret of their interest in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Verstappen’s debut in a 24-hour race, however, already took place earlier this year at the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring. He and his Verstappen Racing teammates - Dani Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer - were in contention for the win, but retired a few hours before the end of the race.
Verstappen has also expressed interest in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Spa. The four-time world champion would probably prefer to compete in a Mercedes-AMG GT3, although no concrete plans have been made yet.
There is a good chance, however, that Verstappen will race the 3-hour round of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance in Portugal for his own team. Due to the clash with the WEC round in Barcelona, it is still unclear whether Gounon and Juncadella will be able to be in Portimão from October 15 to 17.