McLaren Wants F1 and IndyCar Stars to Race at Daytona

Zak Brown eyes a blockbuster entry for the 24 Hours of Daytona with McLaren's top drivers.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 8:23pm

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McLaren CEO Zak Brown is considering entering an extra GTP-class McLaren LMDh prototype in the 24 Hours of Daytona, with the goal of having the team's Formula 1 and IndyCar drivers share the car. While McLaren has not yet committed to an IMSA program with the new LMDh car, Brown has expressed a "strong desire" to expand the program to include the prestigious Daytona endurance race.

Why it matters

Bringing together McLaren's top drivers from both its F1 and IndyCar programs would create an instantly high-profile "Star Car" entry for the 24 Hours of Daytona, generating significant interest and excitement for the race. This could help boost the profile of the event and the IMSA series as a whole.

The details

Brown has already discussed the possibility with IndyCar drivers Pato O'Ward and Christian Lundgaard, who are both interested in getting behind the wheel of the new McLaren LMDh prototype. However, getting the F1 drivers to commit could be a challenge due to their demanding offseason schedules. Additionally, O'Ward has stated that he wants to win the Indianapolis 500 before considering a run at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

  • McLaren plans to enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the new LMDh racer next year.
  • Brown mentioned the Daytona idea two weeks ago.

The players

Zak Brown

CEO of McLaren Racing, who is exploring the possibility of entering an extra McLaren LMDh prototype in the 24 Hours of Daytona with a driver lineup featuring the team's Formula 1 and IndyCar stars.

Pato O'Ward

An IndyCar driver for the Arrow McLaren team, who has expressed interest in testing the McLaren LMDh prototype, but wants to win the Indianapolis 500 before considering a run at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Christian Lundgaard

An IndyCar driver for the Arrow McLaren team, who has also discussed the possibility of driving the McLaren LMDh prototype with Zak Brown.

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What they’re saying

“You get into 24 Hours of Daytona, where you need extra drivers and you can run extra cars, that's something that McLaren does very well. It's a lot of fun—we have fun with our racing. Could we see at Daytona one year, our IndyCar drivers, our F1 drivers come together, that type of thing? Absolutely.”

— Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing (Road & Track)

“It is on my mind, but I told Zak, I have no intention of doing Le Mans until I have one Indy 500 win under my belt.”

— Pato O'Ward, IndyCar Driver, Arrow McLaren (Road & Track)

What’s next

McLaren has not yet committed to an IMSA program with the new LMDh car, but Brown has expressed a "strong desire" to expand the program to include the 24 Hours of Daytona. If the team does move forward with an IMSA entry, the potential for a "Star Car" entry featuring McLaren's top drivers could become a reality as soon as 2028.

The takeaway

Zak Brown's vision of bringing together McLaren's Formula 1 and IndyCar stars for a blockbuster entry in the 24 Hours of Daytona would create significant buzz and interest around the prestigious endurance race. While there are still hurdles to overcome, such a move could help boost the profile of both the race and the IMSA series as a whole.