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F1 champion Norris completes 38-lap hypercar test at Portimao in McLaren's MCL-HY

Lando Norris drove McLaren's 2027 WEC hypercar at the Algarve International Circuit in Portugal, completing 38 laps and 177km in the MCL-HY shortly after finishing third at the Spanish Grand Prix.

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F1 champion Norris completes 38-lap hypercar test at Portimao in McLaren's MCL-HY
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Lando Norris stepped out of his Formula 1 car and into McLaren’s future last week, completing a 38-lap, 177km test of the team’s 2027 MCL-HY hypercar at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimao, Portugal. The outing came just days after the 2025 F1 champion finished third at the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit.

Norris arrived at Portimao alongside McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown before heading into an engineering briefing and taking to the track. The MCL-HY is being developed to compete in the World Endurance Championship from 2027, and the test represented one of the programme’s key preparation runs.

His initial reaction after the first run captured the novelty of the experience. “Bit different, had a roof over my head!” Norris said. “It’s just different to what I’m used to, but good fun.”

Reflecting on the full day after completing his laps, Norris was complimentary about the value the session offered both himself and the hypercar programme. “First of all, a big thanks to the McLaren Hypercar Team for letting me drive the MCL-HY,” he said. “It was great for them to give me a chance to have a bit of fun and try something new, particularly during their busy preparations for next year.”

Norris also suggested the data gathered could prove useful to the development team. “I think we also collected some valuable data, and 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.”

For Norris personally, the test marked a rare departure from the machinery he knows best. “I’ve not done a proper test in anything other than an F1 car for years now, so the fact I got to try something different, especially still as part of the McLaren family, was very special,” he said, adding that he hopes to return to the car in the future.

McLaren has since released behind-the-scenes footage of the test day, offering a broader look at how the reigning world champion adapted to the closed-cockpit prototype ahead of the team’s WEC debut.

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