Strong demand for inaugural McLaren Trophy with 17 cars and 33 drivers entered and season prologue confirmed

• No fewer than 17 cars and 33 drivers entered to compete in inaugural #Mclarentrophy season
• Season prologue confirmed for Paul Ricard circuit on May 22
• Inaugural round takes place at Paul Ricard on June 2-4, supporting Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe

McLaren #automotive Motorsport confirms no fewer than 17 cars and 33 drivers have been entered for the inaugural #Mclarentrophy season which will commence at the Paul Ricard circuit in France on June 2-4.

Launched in July last year, the #Mclarentrophy is a #racing championship designed to put the emphasis on ambitious amateur (Bronze) drivers and to nurture pro-am partnerships. It will showcase the new Artura Trophy, a 585PS thoroughbred racecar. Capable of lap times close to GT3 cars, it is based on the Artura GT4 and by making straightforward ECU and aerodynamic adjustments, drivers can also enjoy the versatility of competing in GT4 competition with the same car. A separate 570S category will allow owners of the previous 570S Trophy cars to compete on the same grid for class victories and championships.

Within weeks of the initial announcement, several teams committed to entering cars in the inaugural season, all of which are established GT competition outfits including some new to the marque. Demand has been especially high for the new Artura Trophy car, with the 2023 season initial quota of 10 cars fully allocated earlier this year.

The #Mclarentrophy is designed to put the amateur driver first and while professional drivers will be part of all driver pairings in the top Artura Trophy class, the Bronze-rated drivers will compete for the overall championship. The entry includes several established names from GT #racing, who will be challenging for race victories alongside their team-mates.

McLaren Trophy, Europe races will support Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS events, including the Blue-Riband Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa. A season prologue has also been confirmed to take place at the Paul Ricard circuit in France on May 22. This will give teams and drivers a chance to test and acclimatise ahead of the inaugural race, which will also take place at the French Grand Prix venue.

McLaren Trophy, Europe calendar 2023

“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all the teams and drivers to the inaugural #Mclarentrophy championship, the response to the new series has been exceptional and we’re also delighted that the reception to the new Artura race car has also been equally strong. The versatility of this car has helped to drive sales and we hope to see many drivers compete with it in both Artura Trophy and Artura GT4 configurations this year. The exceptional demand for this car can also be attributed to the phenomenal record of the 570S GT4 and the continuing success of the 720S GT3, now updated to EVO specification.”
Ian Morgan, Director of Motorsport, #Mclaren Automotive

McLaren Trophy, Europe provisional entry list 2023

*Solo entrant