McLaren still aiming for future IMSA GTP entry

McLaren Racing has reiterated its desire to join IMSA's GTP category in the future with its WEC-bound LMDh prototype on the eve of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

James Barclay (McLaren's Hypercar team principal), Zak Brown (McLaren Racing CEO) and Richard Dean (co-owner of United Autosports) discussed a wide range of topics with the media in a roundtable on Friday in Florida, with the main takeaway being further insight into the potential for the team to race in North America.

"It's fair to say the first priority is establishing the program – a huge amount has happened already to get us ready for testing and preparing for the World Endurance Championship. The reason we're here is we want to be close to the developments here," Barclay said. "There's a huge desire for us to want to be here in the future. Zak said that when we announced it in Le Mans last year. Now the focus is on the World Endurance Championship.

"It's fair to say there's great conversations happening and lots of interest, but the first step is getting the first part of the program set up and working really well, then the target is to be here in IMSA in the future."

Asked if an Endurance Cup program would be the first step into IMSA for the brand, he responded: "Right now, all options are open, but we are not at that point yet. Our focus is on setting up the Hypercar program and then looking at what the right option and business case is for us to come and do IMSA."

United Autosports is the service provider for McLaren's WEC program and will operate the cars from its state-of-the-art base in Wakefield, UK, which is currently being remodeled to accommodate the Hypercar effort. It also has a base in Mooresville, N.C., which houses its IMSA LMP2 effort, but that doesn't mean that United will automatically take over control of any potential IMSA GTP activities, which Brown confirmed will not come before 2028.

"I think James and I would sit down and look at what the opportunity is. It's great that we've got Bobby Rahal (Team RLL) running our GT program here," Brown said. "James has total authority to figure out where he wants to take the program, and I think all options are on the table."

Adding to that, Ricardo Nault, RLL's Vice President of IMSA Operations, told RACER this week that the outfit, which previously ran BMW's factory IMSA GTP team, would look to return to GTP with McLaren should the door open.

“We definitely want to run the Hypercar if it comes to IMSA," he said. "We want to be in the running to do that as well. We want to be on the top step of the Hypercar program with McLaren, and we’d love to run that program with it.

"We’ve got good experience with that, and the same people stayed over for that. We’re going to build a bigger program capable of doing all that, and we have to do it – and the willpower to make it happen.”

Adding IMSA to McLaren's LMDh program could bring some interesting options on the driver front. For instance, drivers from across McLaren's other programs could take part in the Daytona 24 Hours in January before the IndyCar and Formula 1 seasons get underway. 

"We brought Lando (Norris) and Fernando (Alonso) here (in the past); that's more difficult to do at Le Mans because it's in the middle of the year and it's three drivers," Brown said. "Here (at Daytona) you can add fourth drivers and add extra cars. I think you've seen what we've done around a fourth car at the Indy 500, that we like to do stuff that's different and exciting. Daytona is a platform that would allow us to have fun."

McLaren Racing is ultimately pushing to win the Triple Crown of the Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500 and Le Mans in the same year by adding this new sports car arm to its portfolio of motorsport projects. 

RACER asked Brown whether there would be a chance for a single McLaren (F1) driver to win all three Triple Crown races in the future with McLaren, should the schedule allow for an attempt.

"It's a good question, but no one's shown a strong desire to do the Indy 500," he responded.