McLaren Will Have 720S GT3 Successor “When Time is Right”

Photo: JEP/SRO

McLaren has plans for a successor to the 720S GT3 Evo according to McLaren Automotive director of motorsport Ian James, who anticipates the British brand remaining in the GT3 landscape “for as long as GT3 exists.”

Having made its customer debut in 2019 and received an Evo update in 2023, the 720S GT3 has been a front-running car in a variety of GT3-eligible championships, despite the road car production having ended in 2022.

The 720S has been replaced by the 750S on the production line.

When asked by Sportscar365 if there will be new GT3-spec McLaren in the future, James said: “There will be, absolutely.

He added: “This program will go on for as long as GT3 exists, I’m confident of that.

“In terms of the product portfolio itself, what that looks like, that’s all something we’re taking a look at and working on.

“It’s no secret and public knowledge that McLaren Automotive is being bought by CYVN Holdings, to the Abu Dhabi Investment Fund.

“That’s going to give us the structure and the resources we need to make sure we can drive the product portfolio in the direction we want to on the road car side.

“That then obviously has the same effect on motorsport as well.”

James wouldn’t be drawn on a timeline for what would could be a 750S GT3, although he ruled it out for next year.

In the meantime, McLaren has re-branded the 720S GT3 as “McLaren GT3” although it has not changed per homologation purposes.

“When the time is right, there will absolutely be a successor,” said James. “But having said that, the focus at the moment is on making sure the current car, the 720S GT3, can be reaching its full potential.

“I think the performance of the car isn’t in question. I think where we see in some of the recent races as well, it’s been in great shape.

“What we need to ensure now is that together with our teams that are running it that we’ve got the reliability, the operational excellence that we need to be able to really take the fight to the competition in the endurance races.

“We’re going to be back at Le Mans again this year, we’ll be racing in Spa [24 Hours] and all of the classics.

“We strongly believe we need to be back in IMSA again in the future with the GT3. That’s a very clear goal that we’ve got for the coming years.

“That’s where the focus lies at the moment, in making sure we can maximize that potential.”