Danish driver Malthe Jakobsen is joining British team McLaren’s top-class endurance programme for 2027. He completes the full-time driver roster for the World Endurance Championship and Le Mans, where he is to drive the MCL-HY. His appointment follows a progression through Danish Formula 4, European prototype racing and Peugeot’s factory team.
British racing team McLaren completed its full-time Hypercar driver roster by signing Denmark’s Malthe Jakobsen.[1], [2]
The appointment places him in the MCL-HY programme for the 2027 World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. McLaren announced the move on 9 November as it prepares to return to the top category of sports car racing.[1]
Jakobsen’s route to the seat began in single-seater competition. He won the Danish Formula 4 championship before switching to international prototype racing, where he took the European Le Mans Series LMP3 title at 18. He subsequently joined Peugeot Sport’s factory squad in the World Endurance Championship. As its youngest driver, he achieved pole positions and podium finishes before being recruited for McLaren’s new programme.[1]
McLaren Hypercar team principal James Barclay identified speed, consistency and technical ability among Jakobsen’s strengths, emphasizing the importance of technical contribution in endurance racing. Jakobsen said he was excited to join the team and pointed to McLaren’s involvement across endurance racing, Formula 1 and IndyCar. He also singled out its 1995 Le Mans victory and described representing the marque internationally as an honour.[1]
