Thirty years after winning the Le Mans 24 Hours for the first time, McLaren has officially announced the launch of the new McLaren Racing Endurance team – McLaren United AS – which will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar class beginning in 2027.

Having announced back in April its plans to enter the premier category of the WEC with an LMDh prototype, McLaren shared key details about its program today. The new McLaren Hypercar will be designed internally and run in conjunction with two-time Le Mans 24 Hours class-winning team United Autosports. The new McLaren prototype will be powered by a V6 twin-turbo engine designed by McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive, with the chassis to be supplied by Italian constructor Dallara.

James Barclay (pictured above) will join as team principal of McLaren United AS, beginning in September. Barclay will join McLaren after concluding his work as managing drector of JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) Motorsport and team principal of the Jaguar TCS Racing Formula E team in July.

Barclay was a fundamental figure in establishing the Jaguar Formula E team in 2016, and led the marque to its first motorsport world championship win since 1991.

“I am honored to be joining a brand with such an incredible history of racing excellence,” Barclay said. “The passion and commitment to success that McLaren Racing embodies is something I’ve always admired. I look forward to the challenge of building a team that competes at the highest level of racing and represents the pioneering spirit that McLaren is known for.”

Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO, said: “McLaren Racing’s return to the FIA World Endurance Championship marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for us, and James’s leadership will be crucial in guiding us through the coming months as we prepare for our 2027 entry. We have a rich history in the sport, and with James at the helm, we are confident that McLaren Endurance Racing will quickly establish itself as a competitive and successful team.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the team’s future take shape under his leadership and can’t wait to give fans an exclusive preview of our 2027 race car.”

That preview will come tomorrow, before the start of the 93rd Le Mans 24 Hours, when McLaren will reveal its Hypercar challenger at the Manufacturers’ Village in Le Mans.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — NASCAR’s first Cup Series race outside the United States was off to a bumpy start Friday with several teams yet to arrive in Mexico City because of travel issues in North Carolina.

At least one chartered flight to Mexico City was grounded Thursday with an engine issue, leaving teams scrambling to find alternative routes to get to Mexico. Some drove to Atlanta to catch a commercial flight.

But when the track opened Friday, many were not at Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Trackhouse Racing was among them — Daniel Suarez arrived Tuesday with some support personnel so he was not affected — but the communications director for the Cup team had been summoned to help unload the Trackhouse cars off the truck because no crew members were available.

The trucks came directly from last Sunday’s race in Michigan and arrived at the Mexico City track on Thursday.

NASCAR said only “a select few” teams aren’t on site Friday morning. But, it seems most are Xfinity Series teams based on a revamping of the weekend schedule.

“Due to two aircraft issues that grounded multiple race teams in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday, NASCAR has adjusted the on-track schedule for this weekend’s activities at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez,” NASCAR said in a statement.

NASCAR delayed Friday’s originally planned Cup Series practice to later in the afternoon. NASCAR also pushed all Xfinity Series practice sessions from Friday to Saturday. And, the first of two NASCAR Mexico Series races will run earlier than originally scheduled on Friday.

The Xfinity Series will lose some practice time, with just one 50-minute session on Saturday morning, right before qualifying. There are other slight adjustments as well, but Cup teams will not lose any practice.

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MEXICO CITY — NASCAR’s first Cup Series race outside the United States was off to a bumpy start Friday with several teams yet to arrive in Mexico City because of travel issues in North Carolina.

At least one chartered flight to Mexico City was grounded Thursday with an engine issue, leaving teams scrambling to find alternative routes to get to Mexico. Some drove to Atlanta to catch a commercial flight.

But when the track opened Friday, many were not at Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Trackhouse Racing was among them — Daniel Suarez arrived Tuesday with some support personnel so he was not affected — but the communications director for the Cup team had been summoned to help unload the Trackhouse cars off the truck because no crew members were available.

The trucks came directly from last Sunday’s race in Michigan and arrived at the Mexico City track on Thursday.

NASCAR said only “a select few” teams aren’t on site Friday morning. But, it seems most are Xfinity Series teams based on a revamping of the weekend schedule.

“Due to two aircraft issues that grounded multiple race teams in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday, NASCAR has adjusted the on-track schedule for this weekend’s activities at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez,” NASCAR said in a statement.

NASCAR delayed Friday’s originally planned Cup Series practice to later in the afternoon. NASCAR also pushed all Xfinity Series practice sessions from Friday to Saturday. And, the first of two NASCAR Mexico Series races will run earlier than originally scheduled on Friday.

The Xfinity Series will lose some practice time, with just one 50-minute session on Saturday morning, right before qualifying. There are other slight adjustments as well, but Cup teams will not lose any practice.

Originally Published: June 13, 2025 at 9:48 AM CDT

NASCAR could be making a big change for the Cup Series race at Mexico City this weekend. According to motorsports reporter Matt Weaver, NASCAR may be moving both practices to Saturday due to logistics challenges.

This likely has to do with multiple NASCAR personnel having travel issues. Weaver previously reported that a flight carrying NASCAR industry members to Mexico City failed to take off from the airport in Charlotte on Thursday afternoon, and the passengers were flown on different flights. He also said another plane scheduled to for Mexico City also had issues.

NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Ryan Ellis was the first to report an issue with the flight. On X/Twitter, Ellis wrote, “Cancel that, plane attempted takeoff, plane made a small boom, we are headed back.” He then shared a post of himself being on another plane and writing “Mexico bound.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. also had minor flight issues to Mexico City, “Taking off from NC. Was delayed a bit because of weather at the next waypoint. Mexico bound,” Earnhardt wrote on X/Twitter.

The Mexico City race is big for NASCAR as it’s the first time the governing body has had an international points race since the 1950s. One driver who going to really enjoy the experience is Daniel Suárez who is a native of Monterrey, Mexico.

More on the NASCAR Mexico City Cup Series race

“It’s very special,” Suárez told ESPN. “Honestly, it’s very difficult to put into perspective for people. Only those who really know me very well understand how important and special this is for me.

“After a lot of work and sacrifices, I was able to make it in NASCAR Mexico, and at one point in my life, that was my goal — that was my ultimate goal. I was able to get there at an early age, which gave me hope to be able to do something in the United States.”

Suárez added, “And now coming back to my home country as a NASCAR Cup Series winner and an Xfinity Series champion, all these different things, it’s very special. Not just for me, but a lot of people who have been in my corner for many, many years, for the fans, the media, for Mexico. They have known me for many years. So, it’s very special.”

Fredrickson is competing on the ASA STARS National Tour in 2025 while also competing in other Super Late Model events. Last Saturday, he scored a victory in the Alive for 5 Series at Dells Raceway Park.

To commemorate Fredrickson’s ARCA debut at his home track, the first 200 children under the age of 12 in attendance will receive a free Ty Fredrickson t-shirt, courtesy of Rack Shack BBQ.

Several of Fredrickson’s partners are part of the ARCA Menards Series appearance, including Fredrickson Masonry, Otte Excavating, CFG Retirement, Buck Wild Racing Products, Nortec Equipment, Herman’s Landscape Supplies, Fredrickson Farms, Rack Shack BBQ, Sorem Livestock Hauling, Jerin Trucking, Simpson Race Products, Motorstate Distributing, Toyota GAZOO Racing, and Venturini Motorsports.

The NASCAR Cup Series will make its debut at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City for nearly 90 minutes of practice Friday.

Cup cars will be on track for a 50-minute session starting at 4:05 p.m. ET and then another 25-minute session on the 15-turn, 2.42-mile road course at 5:30 p.m.

Because of two planes that were grounded Thursday in Charlotte, North Carolina, and delayed several teams, NASCAR adjusted the Friday schedule by moving up a 50-lap NASCAR Mexico Series race and shifting the Cup practices later. Xfinity practice also was moved to Saturday.

Some exercised in an oxygen-deprived setting, as seen by Tyler Reddick on a bike at the Toyota Performance Center, and a few slept in hypoxic tents.

Qualifying will be held Saturday at the Mexico City track, which will play host to the first Cup points race in series history Sunday.

Mexico City weekend schedule

(All Times Eastern)

Friday, June 13

Garage open

• 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. — Cup Series
• 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. — Xfinity Series

Track activity

• 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. — NASCAR Mexico practice and qualifying
• 1:30 p.m. — NASCAR Mexico race (50 laps, 121 miles, 90-minute time limit; NASCAR Mexico YouTube channel, MRN)
• 4:05 – 4:55 p.m. — Cup practice (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
• 5:30 – 5:55 p.m. — Cup practice (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Weather

Friday: Cloudy with a high of 75 degrees, winds from the east at 10 to 15 mph and a 24% chance of rain.