Grégoire Saucy Lands Full-Time McLaren Hypercar Ride for 2027 WEC
Having graduated from the McLaren Driver Development Programme, Grégoire Saucy has locked in a permanent seat with the McLaren Hypercar Team for the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship season.
The 26-year-old Swiss pilot secured this promotion after a standout season of testing and development with McLaren’s new MCL-HY Hypercar, a machine set to debut in the WEC and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Saucy played a key role in the programme from the moment the MCL-HY was unveiled at Varano, Italy, on 4 May. Selected as one of two drivers for the initial runs alongside fellow McLaren works driver Mikkel Jensen, he participated in all but one of the team’s development tests and piloted the car during its public unveiling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, sharing the track with then-reigning Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris.
This promotion comes on the heels of a highly successful campaign in the European Le Mans Series with United Autosports. Saucy and his teammates clinched the championship title last month, achieving two wins and five podiums across the six-round season.
Saucy has established a strong endurance racing profile since his dominant 2021 Formula Regional European Championship campaign, which featured eight victories. He transitioned into endurance racing soon after, competing in the WEC during 2024 and 2025 in a McLaren 720 LMGT3 Evo. These results earned him a spot in the McLaren Driver Development Programme, paving the way to the manufacturer’s new Hypercar project.
“I am over the moon to be given this opportunity,” said Saucy. “When I joined the McLaren Hypercar Team for its development season, I hoped it might lead to a full-time race seat, but I knew there was a great deal of experienced talent in the driver market. I stayed focused, worked hard and adapted quickly to the MCL-HY.
“I have loved every second with this team: the standards are incredibly high, the people are supportive and the atmosphere is fantastic. I cannot wait to continue this journey. Thank you to Zak for bringing me into the McLaren Driver Development Programme and to James for trusting me with this opportunity.”
McLaren Hypercar Team Principal James Barclay commended Saucy’s advancement throughout the development programme, emphasizing its function in grooming emerging talent for works-level roles: “Grégoire’s promotion is exactly what the McLaren Driver Development Programme is designed to achieve: identifying exceptional talent, supporting that development and creating a genuine pathway to a works race seat,” said Barclay.
“He has impressed us throughout the MCL-HY test programme with his pace, methodical approach within the team and his progress over the intensive testing schedule. He has earned this opportunity, and we are excited to see him take the next step in his career with McLaren.”
Saucy’s appointment represents a crucial milestone in McLaren’s preparations for its return to premier endurance racing, as the Swiss driver prepares for his greatest challenge to date within the team’s 2027 WEC campaign.
