McLaren makes decision on Norris' participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans

After the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, Norris traveled directly to Portugal. There, the Brit drove the MCL-HY, which completed its fifth test at Portimao.

After an initial run to get used to the car, Norris completed a 38-lap programme on the 4.653-kilometer circuit. During that time, he tested various components while McLaren gathered data for the car's continued development.

Norris worked during the test with factory driver Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor, who will drive for the Woking-based team in WEC next year.

"It was great for them to give me a chance to have a bit of fun and try something new, particularly during their busy preparations for next year," Norris said.

For Norris, it had also been a long time since he had seriously tested anything other than a Formula 1 car. "The fact I got to try something different, especially still as part of the McLaren family, was very special."

The world champion does not rule out getting back behind the wheel of the MCL-HY in the future. "It was a fun day in a quick car on a cool track, helping the team prepare for the start of WEC next year. A big thanks to everyone involved, I can't wait to get back in the car in the future."

After the test, there was widespread speculation about when Norris would next drive the Hypercar. Some even suggested that the Briton would take part in the next 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In 2027, no Formula 1 weekend clashes with Le Mans, so in theory, Norris could take part, although he would need an exceptional dispensation from the organizers.

GPblog can confirm that Norris will definitely not participate in the next edition of this iconic race.