Garage 59 to Lead McLaren’s WEC LMGT3 Programme From 2026
From the start of the 2026 season*, Garage 59 will become the official FIA World Endurance Championship racing partner of McLaren Automotive, taking over the race-winning LMGT3 programme from United Autosports. The move reinforces McLaren’s commitment to the WEC and aligns its GT strategy with future Hypercar ambitions.
Earlier this year, McLaren Racing confirmed entry to the WEC Hypercar class under the McLaren United AS banner. With preparations advancing, McLaren and United Autosports have agreed that United will concentrate on maximising the performance of the new McLaren LMDh car ahead of its planned 2027 debut. This focus supports McLaren’s wider endurance racing roadmap while maintaining a competitive LMGT3 presence.
Garage 59 takes its name from the iconic McLaren F1 GTR that won Le Mans. The team has secured multiple titles with McLaren machinery, including the 2016 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, with then-Factory Driver Rob Bell among the victors; the 2022 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup Pro Am drivers’ title; the 2023 Bronze Cup; and the 2024 British GT Silver Am crown. In the current season, the outfit won several races in GT World Challenge Europe and challenged for overall honours.
Since its WEC debut in 2023, the McLaren GT3 EVO has proven a formidable LMGT3 contender. Last year, McLaren marked its return to Le Mans by taking pole position and becoming the first manufacturer to lock out the front row. United Autosports then delivered multiple poles and podiums, culminating in a maiden race win at the Circuit of the Americas in September. Building on that platform, Garage 59 will apply its experience to target further victories and the WEC LMGT3 title.
“With success achieved by our Formula One team, the new Hypercar project gathering momentum and the race-winning performance of our GT cars, it's a fascinating time for McLaren. We thank United Autosports for their valuable contribution to this success, including our maiden WEC race victory earlier this year, and look forward to their future achievements in Hypercar.
Motorsport is intrinsic to the DNA of McLaren Automotive, and it's exciting to continue our journey in the LMGT3 class with new racing partner Garage 59. We hope to continue our substantial progress and race-winning performance with our new racing partners in 2026,” Nick Collins, CEO, McLaren Automotive.
“We are proud to be partnering with McLaren on the world stage. Competing in the WEC with two McLaren GT3 EVOs isn’t just a progression; it’s a statement of intent. We know how intense the competition is in the WEC, but we believe we have the people, the infrastructure, and the resolve to be competitive from day one,” Andrew Kirkaldy, Team Principal, Garage 59.
“It is truly an honour to race in the WEC, so this is not a decision we have taken lightly, but when you have the opportunity to race in Hypercar, going for outright victory around the world including Le Mans; that is something we have worked for, fought for, dreamed of for years, so we are doing everything in our power to make it a success. I would like to thank WEC for their support and wish Garage 59 and McLaren Automotive the best of luck next season in the LMGT3. We will be back on the grid in 2027 as the McLaren United AS WEC Hypercar Team, and we can’t wait,” Richard Dean, CEO, United Autosports.
