McLaren Automotive kicked off the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season in record-breaking fashion, as its GT3 EVO cars locked out the front row in qualifying for the second consecutive race. Racing Partner United Autosports delivered a dominant performance in Qatar, with Darren Leung and Sean Gelael securing pole position on their McLaren debut, while the #59 car of James Cottingham, Sébastien Baud, and Grégoire Saucy achieved the manufacturer’s best-ever WEC finish with a hard-fought second place.
Qualifying Mastery: McLaren Continues to Set the Pace
McLaren’s exceptional qualifying form continued in Qatar, reinforcing its dominance in the LMGT3 class. After becoming the first manufacturer to achieve a front-row lockout in the new LMGT3 era in Bahrain last year, United Autosports replicated the feat in the opening round of the 2025 season. This marked McLaren’s third WEC pole position, meaning the marque has now claimed one-third of all poles available since the LMGT3 class was introduced in 2024.
The pole position was secured by Leung and Gelael, who impressed on their McLaren debut with a commanding performance in the #95 car. The #59 entry, piloted by Cottingham, Baud, and Saucy, lined up alongside them, setting the stage for a thrilling intra-team battle under the floodlights of Lusail International Circuit.
A Fierce Battle for Victory
As the 1812km endurance event got underway, both McLaren GT3 EVOs made a clean start, maintaining their positions at the front of the pack. Cottingham in the #59 car quickly made his move, overtaking Leung in the opening hour and holding the lead comfortably throughout his quadruple stint.
After the first round of driver changes in hour four, the McLarens remained in prime contention, with the #59 still leading until Baud ceded position to the pole-winning #95, allowing Gelael to take control. The #95 car held firm at the front until a pit stop infringement led to a costly drive-through penalty, dropping them down the order and ending their race in seventh place.
Meanwhile, the #59 McLaren remained locked in an intense battle for victory. Grégoire Saucy, in a relentless final stint, closed the gap to the leader to less than a second with just 30 minutes remaining. Despite immense pressure and a near-flawless drive, Saucy was unable to force an error or find a gap, ultimately finishing just 0.493 seconds behind the race winner—McLaren’s highest-ever finish in the FIA WEC.
A Strong Start to the Season
Reflecting on the race, United Autosports CEO Richard Dean praised the team’s performance:
“It has been an exceptionally strong season opener in Qatar, and one that we are very proud of. We have two cars that have instantly established themselves as front runners and we’ve secured our first podium of the season—huge congratulations to James, Grégoire, Seb, and the #59 crew. Second place in the world championship is a massive achievement. The #95 crew also had a stellar week with P1 in qualifying for Darren, pole position for Sean, and top work as usual from Marino. Sadly, their race didn’t end the way we had hoped, but Imola is just a few weeks away, and we will be there with the same race-winning ambitions.”
McLaren’s Director of Motorsport, Ian James, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the team’s competitiveness and development over the winter:
“The last twenty minutes of the race had us all on the edge of our seats as Grégoire pressured the leader and came so close to taking the win. Of course, Darren and Sean did very well to take pole position on their McLaren debut as well, so there’s a lot to celebrate in Qatar. We were quick all weekend. It really is a testament to all the hard work done by the engineering team in Woking and everyone at United Autosports over the winter that we have been able to perform straight away. You must score in every race to win championships, and we are certainly off to a very good start.”
With McLaren proving its pace and consistency from the outset, the team now looks ahead to the second round of the FIA WEC at the legendary Imola Circuit in Italy on April 20. With their first podium secured, the target is clear: to take McLaren’s maiden victory in the championship.
