• The McLaren 720S GT3 debuts in the United States at the inaugural IMSA WeatherTech Sprint Cup round in Mid-Ohio
• New, dedicated social media channels for McLaren Customer Racing now live
• New film brings to life the 720S GT3 development programme, including the successful global competitive debut at the Gulf 12hrs in Abu Dhabi. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/mgLmwyPD6TU

The McLaren 720S GT3 will make its competitive debut on North American soil this weekend as McLaren Customer Racing team, Compass Racing, lines up as part of the IMSA WeatherTech Sprint Cup at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, in Lexington, Ohio. Additionally, two McLaren 570S GT4 race cars will contest the Michelin PILOT Challenge, run by customer teams Compass Racing and current championship leaders Motorsports In Action.

Ahead of the Ohio race, McLaren Customer Racing has launched new social media channels to provide news, race information and updates on McLaren customer teams and drivers throughout the season, allowing enthusiasts to keep up-to-date with and follow all McLaren Customer Racing activities through dedicated Instagram (@McLaren_CustomerRacing) and twitter (@CustomerRacing) pages.

Having run a McLaren 570S GT4 for the past two seasons, Compass Racing is this year fielding a 720S GT3 car, with McLaren Customer Racing Factory Driver, Paul Holton, teaming up with Matt Plumb. Compass Racing and Paul Holton have already enjoyed 570S GT4 success this season with an emphatic victory in January at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida – the first time a McLaren has triumphed at the iconic motorsport venue.

“2019 has already seen a number of key milestones for McLaren Customer Racing, including a first-ever race win in Daytona, a win for the new McLaren 720S GT3 on its debut in Melbourne and a strong start to the year for customer teams running McLaren 570S GT4 cars across the globe. McLaren Customer Racing works tirelessly to support teams in experiencing the thrills and adrenaline of going racing in partnership with McLaren; they are at the centre of everything we do and crucially, the customers that run our cars and the drivers who push the limits week-in, week-out are also fans of the brand.

“Motorsport is in our DNA and as we open a new chapter in the already-impressive history of McLaren motorsport, one thing that remains constant is the unwavering, widespread support from all our fans. The launch of the new McLaren Customer Racing social media channels is an important step for us in heightening our engagement with the community in motorsport that has embraced the McLaren brand as well increasing our ability to spread positive news about the successes of our customer teams.”
Dan Walmsley, Motorsport Director, McLaren Automotive.

The new McLaren Customer Racing social media feeds are the dedicated home for information and insight into McLaren Customer Racing teams campaigning in GT3 and GT4 championships around the world, at the same time building and increasing engagement with the global community of McLaren endurance racing fans. Followers of the channels will gain exclusive access to feature interviews with drivers; event previews; image galleries; circuit guides; insight on the cars and the teams and live on-event race content.

Deliveries of the new McLaren 720S GT3 to customer teams around the world are now well underway, following an intensive test programme throughout the 2018 season that saw the McLaren Customer Racing development team covering thousands of test kilometres in a variety of conditions at locations throughout Europe and the Middle East. The rigorous testing and preparation undertaken ahead of customers receiving the cars was captured on film and outlines some of the steps involved in McLaren Customer Racing designing, developing and delivering a truly competitive car for the GT3 grids around the world. The film can be viewed at https://youtu.be/mgLmwyPD6TU.

Ends

Notes to editors:

A selection of high resolution images accompanying this release is available to download from the McLaren Automotive media site – cars.mclaren.press

About McLaren Automotive:

McLaren Automotive is a creator of luxury, high-performance sportscars and supercars.

Every vehicle is hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey, England.

Launched in 2010, the company is now the largest part of the McLaren Group.

The company has defined product families: Sports Series, Super Series, Ultimate Series and Motorsport which are retailed through over 80 retailers in more than 30 markets around the world.

McLaren is a pioneer that continuously pushes the boundaries. In 1981, it introduced lightweight and strong carbon fibre chassis into Formula 1 with the McLaren MP4/1. Then in 1993  it designed and built the McLaren F1 road car - the company has not built a car without a carbon fibre chassis since. As part of the Ultimate Series, McLaren was the first to deliver a hybrid hypercar, the McLaren P1™.

Announced at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2018, the company’s Track25 business plan will see it invest £1.2billion in research and development to deliver 18 new cars or derivatives by the end of 2025.

In 2018, the company launched the 600LT and the first two cars of Track25, the McLaren Speedtail, the next Ultimate Series, and McLaren’s first ever Hyper-GT, and 720S Spider. It also opened a new £50m McLaren Composites Technology Centre in the Sheffield region in the North of England that will see it produce the next generation of lightweight carbon fibre ‘tubs’ that are at the heart of all McLaren cars.

2019 saw McLaren launch the 600LT Spider confirmed as the third car of Track25, with a new GT car announced and the previously-confirmed track-only Senna GTR unveiled.

To support the development, engineering and manufacture of its range of innovative sportscars and supercars, McLaren Automotive partners with world leading companies to provide specialist expertise, technology and solutions. These include Richard Mille, Pirelli, Dell Technologies, Ashurst, AkzoNobel and OnePlus.

McLaren Group:
The McLaren Group is a global leader in luxury automotive and technology and comprises three businesses: Automotive, Racing and Applied Technologies.

Further information:

Roger Ormisher
Head of Global and North American Communications  | McLaren North America
Phone: +1 714 501 8137
Email: roger.ormisher@mclaren.com

Paul Chadderton
Global Product Communications and PR Manager | McLaren Automotive Limited
Phone:+44 (0) 1483 261500
Mobile: +44 (0) 7990 776749
Email: paul.chadderton@mclaren.com

Hunter Skipworth
Social Media Manager | McLaren Automotive Limited
Phone: +44 (0) 1483 261500
Mobile: +44 (0) 7990 564 052
E-mail: hunter.skipworth@mclaren.com

Dave Eden
Global Motorsport Commercial and Brand Manager | McLaren Automotive Limited
Phone: +44 (0) 1483 262867
Mobile: +44 (0) 7500 857089
E-mail: dave.eden@mclaren.com

Media website: cars.mclaren.press
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mclarenautomotive
Twitter: www.twitter.com/McLarenAuto
You Tube: www.youtube.com/mclarenautomotivetv