McLaren Signs Malthe Jakobsen for 2027 Hypercar
The Danish driver, moving from Peugeot Sport, completes McLaren Racing's six-driver Hypercar lineup for its World Endurance Championship debut.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Motorsports
McLaren Racing has signed 23-year-old Dane Malthe Jakobsen as the sixth and final driver for its 2027 Hypercar program. Jakobsen moves from Peugeot Sport's full-time World Endurance Championship roster.
Why it matters
With Jakobsen signed, McLaren's full-time Hypercar roster is complete as the team builds toward its World Endurance Championship debut in 2027. The move brings a driver with two full-time WEC seasons and multiple series titles into the new program.
Jakobsen won the LMP3 title with Cool Racing at 18 and has three Asian Le Mans Series titles with Algarve Pro Racing. He also won a class at the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona, while his full-time Peugeot record includes Spa pole and a COTA podium.
The players
Malthe Jakobsen
A 23-year-old Danish endurance racer who won the LMP3 title at 18 and has since become a full-time Peugeot Sport WEC driver.
McLaren Racing
The British motorsport team completing its six-driver Hypercar roster ahead of its 2027 World Endurance Championship debut.
Peugeot Sport
The manufacturer whose 9X8 Hypercar Jakobsen raced full-time before moving to McLaren.
The details
McLaren revealed the signing of Jakobsen to race the MCL-HY alongside Mikkel Jensen, Laurens Vanthoor, Alex Lynn, Leonardo Fornaroli and Gregoire Saucy. Jakobsen was promoted to a full-time Peugeot Sport driver for 2025 and scored the manufacturer's first 9X8 pole at Spa in 2026.
Timeline
2022: Jakobsen wins the LMP3 title with Cool Racing at 18.
2025: Jakobsen is promoted to a full-time Peugeot Sport driver.
2026: Jakobsen scores Peugeot's first 9X8 pole at Spa and wins a class at Daytona's Rolex 24.
- 2026-11-09
McLaren announces the Jakobsen signing.
2027: McLaren's Hypercar program begins its World Endurance Championship debut season.
Season Trajectory
McLaren's Hypercar entry adds another factory program to the World Endurance Championship Hypercar class, which has drawn several manufacturers into a competitive field. Jakobsen's move from Peugeot illustrates how drivers with full-time WEC experience are being recruited by new entrants.
McLaren's full roster means fans can follow the team's six named drivers through the 2027 World Endurance Championship season. Jakobsen's presence adds a driver with recent Peugeot pole and podium experience to the team's line-up.
The takeaway
McLaren's complete driver roster signals that its Hypercar program is moving from planning into a fixed competitive lineup. Readers following endurance racing can watch how the squad performs as it prepares for its debut season.
Further reading
Explore more Motorsports coverage for context on the Hypercar class and endurance racing.
