Why Malthe Jakobsen?
Malthe Jakobsen had already made quite a name for himself long before McLaren came calling. Last May, at Spa-Francorchamps, the Dane secured Peugeot’s first and only WEC pole position, despite a session that had got off to a difficult start following a spin at Raidillon.
A remarkable performance that neatly sums up the rise of the 23-year-old, whose career progression has been anything but accidental. Crowned Danish Formula 4 champion in 2019, he soon turned his attention to endurance racing, claiming the ELMS LMP3 title with Cool Racing in 2022. It is also during this period that he develops a close relationship with Nicolas Lapierre, who becomes both his mentor and his manager.
He then continued his rise through the LMP2 ranks, notably collecting three Asian Le Mans Series titles. Crowned ELMS LMP2 Pro/Am champion in 2026, he also claimed class victories at the 2022 12 Hours of Sebring and the 2026 24 Hours of Daytona, in LMP3 and LMP2 respectively.
Peugeot brought him into its ranks in 2023. Initially signed as a junior driver, he was promoted to reserve driver in 2024 before securing a full-time Hypercar seat in 2025. The rest, as they say, is history.
“We are delighted to welcome Malthe to the McLaren Hypercar Team,” said James Barclay, Team Principal of the British outfit. “He has already established himself as one of endurance racing’s most exciting young talents, combining impressive speed and consistency with the technical ability that is so important at the highest level of the sport.”
“I am super excited to join the team, it feels unbelievable to be part of this project and this brand, in particular as it competes across WEC, F1 and IndyCar in pursuit of the Triple Crown,” said the young Dane. “This history of the team, including the Le Mans win in 1995, is so special and it will be an honour to represent McLaren on a global stage.”
A formidable line-up on paper…
While some of the decisions made by rival manufacturers may raise eyebrows, it is difficult to find much fault with McLaren’s choices. James Barclay and his team have brought together six drivers from very different backgrounds, whose strengths appear particularly complementary. Crucially, they have not sacrificed experience in favour of youth, or vice versa.
“As we continue to build towards our WEC debut in 2027, Malthe is a fantastic addition to our driver lineup,” Barclay rightly pointed out.
Mikkel Jensen, Laurens Vanthoor, Alex Lynn and Malthe Jakobsen all have experience in Hypercar. The first three have also been involved in the development of the Peugeot 9X8, Porsche 963 and Cadillac V-Series.R respectively. That is a considerable amount of technical expertise for a manufacturer preparing to enter endurance racing’s top class.
Then there is Grégoire Saucy. Endurance racing holds few secrets for the Swiss driver, who also has the advantage of knowing United Autosports inside out. The British outfit will be responsible for running the MCL-HYs, and Saucy has been racing under its banner since 2024.
Finally, there is Leonardo Fornaroli, whose record speaks for itself. Having won the FIA Formula 3 title in 2024 before following it up with the Formula 2 crown in 2025, the Italian has demonstrated the adaptability and consistency that have fuelled his rapid rise. Also serving as a reserve and development driver for the McLaren F1 Team, he is arguably the boldest gamble of the six signings. But certainly not the least intriguing.
On paper, it is difficult to imagine a stronger group in terms of outright pace.
… but success is far from guaranteed
There is, however, much more to endurance racing than simply assembling a collection of talented drivers. Raw speed should not be an issue, but consistency, sound judgement in traffic and a thorough understanding of race strategy will be just as important. Not to mention one factor that is too often underestimated: the ability to work together.
Toyota continues to demonstrate just how valuable stability and strong relationships between drivers can be, both within each crew and across the two cars. McLaren’s challenge will be to bring together six different personalities, six different mindsets and just as many egos. Because while there is little doubt about the potential of this line-up, making the most of it will be another matter entirely.
And that is where the biggest question mark lies. McLaren may already have one of the strongest six-driver rosters on the grid. Whether it can turn those six individuals into two formidable three-driver crews remains to be seen.
For now, however, it is difficult not to admire the way the programme is taking shape. From the design of the car to the recruitment of drivers, engineers and mechanics, not to mention the assembly of its senior management structure, the decisions made so far appear to reflect a clear and coherent vision.
“James, Richard and Zak have created an impressive team of drivers and staff and I’m really looking forward to working with them all,” Jakobsen himself pointed out. It is difficult to disagree with him, at least on paper.
After all, endurance racing is first and foremost a team sport, and the drivers are merely the final link in a long chain. It is up to them to deliver on track the results of all the work carried out behind the scenes, both at the factory and at the circuit. And it is now down to these six drivers to prove that Zak Brown, Richard Dean and James Barclay have made the right choices.