How James Barclay is laying the groundwork for McLaren’s Hypercar effort

We’re less than a year away from our return to the pinnacle of sports car racing, and the McLaren Hypercar Team’s full-time debut in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). Work is well underway as that debut inches closer, with Team Principal James Barclay at the helm of the team.

James joined in September last year with the goal of returning McLaren to the very top of sports car racing in its golden era. He arrived with a CV bustling with World Championship motorsport success and associations with big brand names, including playing a part in a legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans victory that he’s aiming to emulate – this time in papaya.

Like many in motorsport, James’s journey started behind the wheel, in the driver’s seat with brands including Vauxhall and Lotus, before he moved into commercial roles in the industry.

“I was part of Bentley's return to Le Mans and ultimately the victory in 2003,” he says. “And this was followed by a significant stint in the automotive industry. I was very keen to have a broad range of experience that would ultimately make me stronger for a leadership role in motorsport, and whilst in the automotive industry I always remained active in racing – for example leading the original business case planning for Bentley's GT3 programme”

James’ most recent move was to Jaguar Land Rover, where he took Jaguar back to motorsport, leading the brand’s successful ABB FIA Formula E team to 22 race wins and the 2023-24 Team and Manufacturer title. He also set up the programme and team for the Land Rover Defender’s debut in the FIA World Rally Raid Championship, featuring the iconic Dakar Rally. In this year’s 2026 edition the team were the class of the field, finishing first, second and fourth overall.

“I was very fortunate over the last 12 years to set up and lead an incredible team that is now arguably Jaguar's most successful ever World Championship programme,” James says. “It was massive learning opportunity to understand how to set up and manage a large motorsport programme from the outset, from the highs and lows to what it ultimately takes to win.”

But the focus now is on his – and McLaren’s – next adventure.

“As one of the most storied racing teams in the world, it’s an absolute honour to be leading the charge for our return to endurance racing,” James says. “Sportscar racing is part of McLaren’s DNA. It’s where Bruce McLaren first made his mark, and his ambition was always to race a car bearing his own name. Sadly, he never got the chance to see that dream fulfilled. And of course, in 1995 McLaren went on to win Le Mans with the iconic F1 GTR.

“It’s a privilege for myself and the whole team to bring this aspect of the team’s history back to the current, write the next chapter of McLaren’s story in sports car racing and to honour Bruce’s vision.

“It was with all of this in my mind that I happily accepted Zak’s invitation to lead this project. I’ve been fortunate to be part of some incredible brands, but McLaren has a particular allure – it's without doubt always been a dream.”

Given James' background building race teams from the beginning and leading them to race wins and championships, bringing him into the project was a great fit. Now 10 months into his role, and a year since the programme became operational, James feels the progress is extremely positive.

“May 2026 was a really important time for us.” James says. “We rolled out our new car and livery, began our testing programme, and created a really great foundation for the future. We have a big year ahead – all our testing and development will happen in 2026. I’m delighted that we have a great team that is coming together that has fantastic comraderie and spirit, and also a clear sense of purpose when it comes to our objectives.”

Just a few weeks ago, James and many of his team attended the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans as part of their preparation for competing in next year’s event.

“To see the health of Le Mans and the World Endurance Championship right now was extremely exciting – spectator numbers surpassed 350,000 at this year’s 24-hour race,” he says.

During the Le Mans race week, the FIA World Endurance Championship also revealed its 2027 calendar, which now features a round at Silverstone on 23-25 April, the team’s home race.

One of the key goals for James and the wider McLaren Racing team is to achieve the legendary Triple Crown – winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Indy 500 and the Monaco GP in one year. Once the Hypercar team is competing in 2027, McLaren will be the only team actively vying for this accolade across motorsport.

“Achieving the Triple Crown is a key motivation for all of us, and a challenge that we will relish,” he says.

McLaren knows what it takes to win, but we’re entering an arena that’s never been stronger. WEC’s hypercar class is bustling with manufacturer power, with James calling it “a golden era” for sports car racing. Success in any format of motor racing is, of course, never guaranteed. James and his McLaren outfit know that it will be a challenge, but it’s one that excites them.

“There are currently nine manufacturers who will be competing in the hypercar category when we make our debut next year and this is unprecedented in endurance racing,” James says. “To be part of this era and competing against huge manufacturers and incredibly talented drivers is an exciting challenge. It’s a huge motivation for all of us, because racing against the best will bring out the best in us.”

The team’s debut is just under a year away, but work has been ongoing for some time now. James hasn’t wasted a second since his arrival, quickly outlining the work the team needed to do to put themselves in the best possible position for when the lights go out for Round 1 early next year.

“Making sure we have a competitive car is one of the critical things we must get right,” he says. “So that’s really been a key focus of the year leading up to our debut: completing a rigorous testing programme, and then finally homologating the car, which we'll go into battle with in 2027.”

And while, naturally, a lot of attention will be placed on the car and its drivers, James has a more personal foundation for the team in mind.

“What I was looking forward to and have been enjoying the most is building a great group of people,” he affirms. “You can have the best facilities, you can have the money to do it, but actually it's about the people.

“I’m confident we are building a great team, and together we are developing a strong culture, one that encapsulates the spirit here at McLaren.”

With the debut victory in ‘95 still in everyone’s mind, as well as recent championship successes in Formula 1 and race wins in IndyCar, expectations for the McLaren Hypercar Team are undoubtedly high. Emulating those successes isn't a given, though, as James is all too aware, and he’s keen to keep expectations in check before our new Hypercar hits the track.

“Our debut in 2027 will be against established endurance racing teams and manufacturers, including Ferrari, BMW, Cadillac and Aston Martin to name just a few,” he says. “It is going to be really competitive, and they all have a significant headstart on us.

“The goal in our debut season will be to use that as a year to develop ourselves into a frontrunning endurance racing team and put ourselves in a position to fight for podiums and wins in the near future.”

Nevertheless, James knows the Papaya Family will be behind the team and be a key component in its push to the front, as it has been in every other category we compete in.

“The Papaya Family is strong,” he says. “It's impressive. And it's a huge motivation for why we all joined McLaren. Having that support from such a strong fanbase will give us even more energy, and even more momentum to do the best job we can. We want to make them proud.”