Lando Norris clearly wasn’t interested in taking much time away from the race track.
Just one day after competing in the Spanish Grand Prix, the McLaren Formula 1 star was back behind the wheel, this time testing McLaren’s new WEC Hypercar at the Portimão circuit in Portugal.
The test marks another important step in McLaren’s preparations for its upcoming World Endurance Championship (WEC) program, with the British manufacturer set to enter the Hypercar class in 2027.
Norris puts McLaren’s Hypercar through its paces
Norris completed 38 laps around the Portimão circuit in McLaren’s MCL-HY, working alongside McLaren’s WEC driver line-up, including Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor.
The test focused on several development updates as McLaren continues preparing its Hypercar for its first full WEC season.
For Norris, it was another opportunity to provide feedback from an F1 driver’s perspective while helping the team understand how the car behaves on track.
That kind of feedback could prove particularly valuable as McLaren develops a completely new endurance racing package.
Unlike Formula 1, where teams fight for performance over relatively short races, the World Endurance Championship demands a very different approach. Reliability, tyre management, fuel strategy, driver consistency and long-run performance can all make the difference over an endurance racing weekend.
McLaren joins an increasingly competitive WEC Hypercar grid
McLaren’s arrival comes at a fascinating time for the WEC.
The Hypercar class has attracted major manufacturers including Ferrari, BMW, Alpine and Aston Martin, creating one of the most competitive periods in modern sports car racing.
For new manufacturers, however, getting a Hypercar program up to speed is no easy task. Several recent WEC entrants have needed time to fully understand the championship, with Ferrari standing out for how quickly it adapted to the new era.
McLaren will be hoping to avoid a long learning curve when its WEC campaign begins in 2027.
Having an active Formula 1 world champion involved in the development process certainly gives the project another interesting element.
Norris isn’t expected to be part of McLaren’s 2027 WEC race line-up, but his experience with high-downforce race cars and his familiarity with McLaren’s engineering philosophy could still make his feedback useful during this crucial stage of development.
Norris already has experience with the MCL-HY
This wasn’t Norris’ first time driving McLaren’s WEC Hypercar.
The British driver previously took the MCL-HY up the famous hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, giving fans their first public look at McLaren’s new endurance racing machine.
That appearance came alongside McLaren and Monster Energy, with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi also featuring at the event.
The Portimão test, however, offered Norris a very different opportunity.
Instead of a short demonstration run, he was able to spend more time working with the car and the McLaren WEC team, gathering feedback that could potentially influence the development process.
Speaking after the test, Norris explained that his goal was to bring a different perspective to the project.
“I hope I was able to bring a different set of feelings, comments, and perspectives on things, which is useful for the team in this crucial testing period.”
He added that it was an enjoyable day in a fast car at a circuit he enjoyed, while praising everyone involved in getting the test completed.
From Formula 1 to endurance racing
Norris isn’t the only current Formula 1 driver showing an interest in other forms of motorsport.
Max Verstappen, another F1 world champion, also got behind the wheel of a Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the Nürburgring earlier this year.
That growing interest is hardly surprising.
Sports car racing, GT racing and the World Endurance Championship have become increasingly attractive to top-level racing drivers, offering a completely different challenge from Formula 1.
The WEC, in particular, has benefited from a growing manufacturer presence and the continued popularity of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the most famous races in motorsport history.
For McLaren, the focus now shifts toward turning the MCL-HY from a promising development project into a competitive WEC Hypercar.
With more testing ahead and its 2027 debut getting closer, McLaren will be hoping its new endurance racing program can make an immediate impression when the lights go green.
Image courtesy of McLaren.
