The McLaren 720S GT3 is making its racing debut

Four months after McLaren showed us its extraordinary 720S GT3 racecar, it makes its competitive debut. Looking bolder and more specialist than any McLaren racer since, perhaps, the Longtail F1 GTR, it’s one we can’t wait to see dicing with other, more conventionally proportioned GT3 cars.

Which is exactly what’ll happen at the Gulf 12 Hours in Abu Dhabi on December 15. Its driver line-up consists of names you may not be familiar with, but which you may be soon. It’s led by a Brit, 21-year-old Ben Barnicoat, whose CV includes three single-seater cup or championship wins and many, many development miles in the 720S GT3.

He’s joined by Alvaro Parente, from Portugal, and Shane van Gisbergen, from New Zealand. They’re a more senior pairing, but together they’ve had a fair bit of success, a win at Australia’s Bathurst 12 Hours included. Bodes well for Abu Dhabi’s equivalent, one might surmise. Helpfully, van Gisburgen also shares his Auckland home town with Bruce McLaren, the founder of the company he now drives for.

The Gulf 12 Hours is actually split in half, part one starting at 9:00 and part two beginning at 17:45 and heading into the evening, all the better for showing off the lighting of Yas Marina Circuit, no doubt. More details on the 720S GT3, meanwhile, are right here…