Source: McLaren.com (2026)
Key Findings at a Glance
- → McLaren set to enter F1, IndyCar, and WEC by 2027 Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, states the team will have three race cars competing in Formula 1, INDYCAR, and WEC, chasing the Triple Crown of Monaco GP, Indy 500, and 24 Hours of Le Mans. [McLaren.com]
- → Le Mans 3x winner Leena Gade moves between IndyCar and WEC Race engineer Leena Gade, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times with Audi, has worked across IndyCar and is now with Ford Racing’s WEC program. [Ford (fromtheroad.ford.com)]
- → F1 given baseline index of 100.000 in cross-series lap time study Motorsport.com’s lap time comparison project uses F1 qualifying times as the fastest baseline (100.000 index), measuring IndyCar, WEC LMP1, Super Formula, and GP2 against it using shared-circuit data. [Motorsport.com]
- → Team Jota Porsche led 2024 WEC Hypercar standings with 140 points At the point WEC arrived at COTA for round six of eight in 2024, the #12 Hertz Team Jota Porsche of Callum Ilott, Will Stevens, and Norman Nato led the Hypercar class with 140 points. [Hagerty.com]
- → McLaren MCL-HY GTR is first Le Mans-linked road car since 1995 F1 GTR McLaren’s MCL-HY GTR track variant marks the first time since the 1995 Le Mans-winning F1 GTR that the public can own a car related to McLaren’s outright WEC and Le Mans race entry. [McLaren.com]
- → 2024 WEC Hypercar class ran a single prototype class with hybrid rules For the 2024 season, WEC’s top prototype tier consolidated into one Hypercar class requiring hybrid powertrains, while allowing different engine layouts such as Porsche’s twin-turbo V8 and Peugeot’s twin-turbo V6. [Hagerty.com]
- → F1 remains the reference point for speed rankings across categories including IndyCar and WEC Motorsport.com’s methodology insists F1 is unquestionably the fastest category, positioning IndyCar and WEC LMP1/Hypercar machinery as points of comparison rather than equals in outright pace. [Motorsport.com]
WEC Hypercar rules cap combined output at 707PS, yet McLaren’s road-going MCL-HY GTR track car produces roughly 730PS from its combustion engine alone, according to McLaren.com in 2026. That gap sits at the center of how IndyCar and WEC compare heading into next season, as McLaren prepares to field cars in Formula 1, IndyCar, and WEC by 2027 while chasing motorsport’s Triple Crown. This comparison breaks down power figures, lap-time rankings, driver movement between series, and the 2024 season data that shaped the current Hypercar field.
1How Much Power Does McLaren’s WEC Hypercar Really Produce?
McLaren’s MCL-HY GTR track car generates roughly 730PS from its 2.9L V6 twin-turbo engine alone, topping the 707PS combined limit set for WEC Hypercar race entries. The gearbox is an Xtrac 7-speed sequential unit shared with the race car. McLaren’s factory Hypercar enters WEC competition in the 2027 season. Source: McLaren.com, 2026.
| METRIC | VALUE | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| MCL-HY GTR track car ICE output | circa 730 PS | McLaren.com |
| WEC Hypercar regulated power limit | 707 PS | McLaren.com |
| MCL-HY GTR engine | 2.9L V6 Twin turbo engine type | McLaren.com |
| MCL-HY GTR gearbox | Xtrac 7-speed sequential gearbox type | McLaren.com |
| McLaren WEC entry year | 2027 season | McLaren.com |
| Source: McLaren.com | ||
Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, has framed the 2027 Hypercar entry as part of a three-series push spanning Formula 1, IndyCar, and WEC, aimed squarely at the Triple Crown of Monaco, the Indy 500, and Le Mans. The MCL-HY GTR marks the first time since the 1995 Le Mans-winning F1 GTR that a road car has carried a direct link to McLaren’s outright endurance racing program, a detail covered further in 2026 WEC car specifications. Readers tracking the broader hybrid rulebook shift can find more detail in WEC innovation coverage for 2026, while comparable single-seater engineering questions sit in IndyCar technical innovations.
2Who Led the 2024 WEC Hypercar Standings at COTA?
The #12 Hertz Team Jota Porsche, driven by Callum Ilott, Will Stevens, and Norman Nato, led the Hypercar class with 140 points entering round six of eight at COTA in 2024. The Austin, Texas circuit opened in 2012 and has hosted NASCAR Cup Series racing since 2021. Source: Hagerty.com, 2024.
| METRIC | VALUE | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 WEC Hypercar points leader | 140 points | Hagerty.com |
| WEC 2024 season round at COTA | 6 of 8 round | Hagerty.com |
| COTA opening year | 2012 year | Hagerty.com |
| NASCAR Cup Series racing at COTA since | 2021 year | Hagerty.com |
| Source: Hagerty.com | ||
WEC’s 2024 season consolidated the top prototype tier into a single Hypercar class, a hybrid-mandated field that let Porsche run a twin-turbo V8 alongside Peugeot’s twin-turbo V6 under the same weight and power rules. Team Jota’s points lead at COTA, detailed further in WEC historical performance comparison, arrived during a season that 2026 WEC race results tracking now builds on. Driver pairings across the grid, including Ilott, Stevens, and Nato, are cataloged in WEC 2026 driver lineups.
3How Do IndyCar and WEC Lap Times Compare to Formula 1?
Motorsport.com’s lap-time comparison study assigns Formula 1 a baseline index of 100.000, the fastest mark among tested categories. IndyCar, WEC LMP1, Super Formula, and GP2 are measured against that F1 figure using shared-circuit qualifying data collected during the 2021 season. Source: Motorsport.com, 2021.
| METRIC | VALUE | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| F1 baseline index used in speed comparison | 100.000 index score | Motorsport.com |
| Data source year for lap time comparison study | 2021 season | Motorsport.com |
| Source: Motorsport.com | ||
The methodology treats Formula 1 as the fixed reference point rather than a rival on equal footing, positioning IndyCar and WEC LMP1 machinery as comparison data rather than direct competitors for outright pace. Schedule and circuit overlap questions for IndyCar’s current calendar are addressed in IndyCar’s 2026 race schedule. Qualifying-specific benchmarking for F1 itself is broken down in F1 qualifying performance statistics.
4Why Is Leena Gade a Key Link Between IndyCar and WEC?
Race engineer Leena Gade won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times with Audi before working across IndyCar teams. She now holds a position within Ford Racing’s WEC program, giving Ford direct engineering experience from both series ahead of its endurance return. Source: Ford (fromtheroad.ford.com), 2026.
| METRIC | VALUE | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| Le Mans wins for Leena Gade | 3 wins | Ford (fromtheroad.ford.com) |
| Source: Ford (fromtheroad.ford.com) | ||
Gade’s move mirrors a wider pattern of engineers and drivers shifting between open-wheel and endurance paddocks as manufacturers like Ford rebuild WEC programs from scratch. Career paths like hers get more coverage in IndyCar driver insights, and fans tracking how Ford’s return plays out trackside can follow WEC fan experience coverage for 2026.
5How Does Formula 1’s History Compare to IndyCar and WEC?
Formula 1’s world championship dates to 1950, making it the oldest of the three series compared here. Ferrari holds the most constructors’ titles at 16, and the 2025 championship grid featured 10 teams. Source: RaceFans.net, 2025.
| METRIC | VALUE | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| F1 world championship founding year | 1950 year | RaceFans.net |
| F1 constructors’ titles won by Ferrari | 16 titles | RaceFans.net |
| F1 teams in 2025 championship | 10 teams | RaceFans.net |
| Source: RaceFans.net | ||
Ferrari’s 16 constructors’ titles stand as the benchmark figure against which McLaren, Mercedes, and other long-running outfits measure their own F1 history, a topic tracked further in historical F1 driver standings by year. The 10-team grid from 2025 sets the scale F1 works within as McLaren adds IndyCar and WEC commitments alongside its Formula 1 program, a build-out followed in 2026 driver and constructor standings.
Complete Data Reference
Sortable table of all verified data points. Click any column header to sort.
| Metric | Value | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCL-HY GTR track car ICE output | circa 730 PS | McLaren.com | 2026 |
| WEC Hypercar regulated power limit | 707 PS | McLaren.com | 2026 |
| MCL-HY GTR engine | 2.9L V6 Twin turbo engine type | McLaren.com | 2026 |
| MCL-HY GTR gearbox | Xtrac 7-speed sequential gearbox type | McLaren.com | 2026 |
| McLaren WEC entry year | 2027 season | McLaren.com | 2026 |
| 2024 WEC Hypercar points leader | 140 points | Hagerty.com | 2024 |
| WEC 2024 season round at COTA | 6 of 8 round | Hagerty.com | 2024 |
| COTA opening year | 2012 year | Hagerty.com | 2024 |
| NASCAR Cup Series racing at COTA since | 2021 year | Hagerty.com | 2024 |
| F1 baseline index used in speed comparison | 100.000 index score | Motorsport.com | 2021 |
| Data source year for lap time comparison study | 2021 season | Motorsport.com | 2021 |
| Le Mans wins for Leena Gade | 3 wins | Ford (fromtheroad.ford.com) | 2026 |
| F1 world championship founding year | 1950 year | RaceFans.net | 2025 |
| F1 constructors’ titles won by Ferrari | 16 titles | RaceFans.net | 2025 |
| F1 teams in 2025 championship | 10 teams | RaceFans.net | 2025 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MCL-HY GTR track car ICE output?
MCL-HY GTR track car ICE output: circa 730 PS. Source: McLaren.com (2026). Hybrid system removed for the client track variant, exceeding the regulated 707PS race car figure [McLaren.com]
What is WEC Hypercar regulated power limit?
WEC Hypercar regulated power limit: 707 PS. Source: McLaren.com (2026). Combined output limit for race-spec Hypercar entries including hybrid system [McLaren.com]
What is MCL-HY GTR engine?
MCL-HY GTR engine: 2.9L V6 Twin turbo engine type. Source: McLaren.com (2026). Same race-built engine used in both track and race car variants [McLaren.com]
What is MCL-HY GTR gearbox?
MCL-HY GTR gearbox: Xtrac 7-speed sequential gearbox type. Source: McLaren.com (2026). Matches race car specification [McLaren.com]
What is McLaren WEC entry year?
McLaren WEC entry year: 2027 season. Source: McLaren.com (2026). McLaren’s Hypercar is set to compete in the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship [McLaren.com]
Sources & References
Last updated: August 16, 2026
