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Malthe Jakobsen completes McLaren’s 2027 Hypercar line-up
Malthe Jakobsen joins Mikkel Jensen in McLaren’s six-driver Hypercar squad for its 2027 FIA WEC debut, after four seasons with Peugeot.
McLaren has named Malthe Jakobsen as the final driver in its Hypercar squad, pairing the Dane with compatriot Mikkel Jensen for the British marque’s 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship debut.
Jakobsen’s move follows four seasons with Peugeot, where he rose from a 2022 Hypercar Rookie Test appearance to a full-time factory seat. His departure was confirmed after the Monza round; read more about Jakobsen’s exit from Peugeot.
The 23-year-old joins Jensen, Laurens Vanthoor, Alex Lynn, Leonardo Fornaroli and Grégoire Saucy in the driver line-up. Saucy’s appointment was also part of McLaren’s expanding plans: the ELMS LMP2 champion’s addition was announced as the team assembled its roster for the new programme.
Jakobsen arrives after a rapid rise in endurance racing
Jakobsen moved into international prototype racing after winning Denmark’s Formula 4 championship in 2019. He claimed the European Le Mans Series LMP3 title at 18, then added two consecutive LMP2 crowns in the Asian Le Mans Series before Peugeot gave him a full-time drive.
He stood on the podium at COTA in 2025 and secured Peugeot’s first world championship pole at Spa-Francorchamps earlier this year. At Monza, in his final appearance with the team, he recorded a season-best fourth place. In 2026, he also won a third Asian Le Mans Series title and the ELMS Pro/Am honours.
McLaren adds experience and promise ahead of its return
Team principal James Barclay described Jakobsen as a young endurance talent with speed, consistency and technical ability, and said he was a strong addition as McLaren builds towards its WEC debut.
Jakobsen thanked Peugeot for its role in his development, calling his time with the French manufacturer an important chapter of his career. The team, in turn, praised his commitment and performances and wished him well for the next step.
McLaren is returning to the top level of international endurance racing for the first time in almost three decades. Its six-driver group combines Jakobsen’s recent Hypercar experience with a mix of championship-winning credentials, as the marque prepares to take the MCL-HY onto the WEC grid in 2027.