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McLaren to Withdraw from Formula E as Zak Brown Targets Triple Crown Triumph in a Single Year
McLaren Racing has officially announced its withdrawal from the Formula E World Championship, signaling a dramatic shift in its motorsport focus. CEO Zak Brown revealed that the decision stems from a renewed and ambitious vision: to win motorsport’s elusive Triple Crown — the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans — all within the same calendar year.
This bold strategic pivot marks a historic turning point for the iconic racing outfit. While McLaren is currently leading the 2024 Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship and maintaining a strong presence in the IndyCar Series, its future ambitions lie increasingly in the realm of endurance racing. The team has already laid the groundwork for a full-time return to the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) by 2027. Central to that plan is a major push to win Le Mans, arguably the crown jewel of endurance motorsport.
McLaren holds a unique place in racing history as the only constructor to have secured victories in all three Triple Crown events, albeit never in the same season. Its legendary triumph at Le Mans in 1995, achieved with the McLaren F1 GTR — a car not even purpose-built for endurance — still stands as one of its most remarkable feats. However, Brown believes the team can go even further. “Winning Le Mans on our debut was incredible,” he said. “But now, we’re aiming to achieve something no one has ever done — to win Le Mans, Monaco, and Indy in the same year.”
To align with this ambitious objective, McLaren will exit Formula E at the end of the 2024 season. Since entering the all-electric championship in 2022 as the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, the outfit has made impressive strides. In just a few seasons, it has secured a race victory, six podium finishes, and currently sits third in the Teams’ Championship. Talented young driver Taylor Barnard is fourth in the Drivers’ Standings, reflecting the strong competitive edge the team has developed in a short span.
Despite these successes, Brown emphasized that the move is about focusing on higher aspirations. “Formula E has played a valuable role in our journey,” he acknowledged. “But as a team, our sights are set on achieving a milestone that’s never been reached. WEC offers that opportunity, and we’re putting all our energy behind it.”
McLaren is actively seeking a buyer for its Formula E operation to ensure the team continues under new management. While this decision poses a challenge for Formula E — particularly with the upcoming Gen4 era set to debut in the 2026–27 season — it also underscores the growing prominence of endurance racing in the global motorsport landscape.
With a powerful driver lineup that includes Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Formula 1, and Pato O’Ward excelling in IndyCar with seven victories to date, McLaren is assembling a roster capable of making history. As preparations accelerate for its WEC return, the team is not only aiming to revisit its celebrated past — it’s on a mission to rewrite the record books by conquering all three Triple Crown events in one extraordinary season.
