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Media information 13:00 GMT, December 10, 2018 —

All-star driver line-up confirmed for the competitive debut of the McLaren 720S GT3 in Abu Dhabi

▪ Ben Barnicoat, Alvaro Parente and Shane van Gisbergen to drive McLaren 720S GT3 at on December 13-15

▪ Endurance race at the Abu Dhabi Yas Marina circuit will be the competitive debut of the new 720S GT3 race car

▪ 720S GT3 is the first car designed and built by McLaren Automotive’s in-house motorsport department

▪ Car will be entered by in-house McLaren Customer Racing team for debut race

McLaren Automotive has confirmed a stellar driver line-up for the competitive debut of the 720S GT3 in the Gulf 12 Hours at Abu Dhabi on December 13-15. Lining up on the grid will be McLaren Automotive Factory Driver Ben Barnicoat (GB), joined by Alvaro Parente (PT) and Shane van Gisbergen (NZ).

The star trio boasts an impeccable pedigree, with Parente and van Gisbergen both holding Platinum status under the FIA driver-rating system – the highest available - and Barnicoat ranked as Gold. With such a strong line-up, the works-entered car - entered under McLaren Customer Racing - is an exciting prospect for the Gulf 12 Hours. Now in its eighth year, the endurance event will see a combined grid of over 30 GT3 and GT4 cars battling for outright honours over a two-part race, each of six hours’ duration, on the 5.554 km Yas Marina circuit - home to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Barnicoat, 21, leads the three-driver line-up with extensive mileage completed in the new Super Series GT3 model during the rigorous development programme as part of his role as a McLaren Automotive Factory Driver. The outing also marks the young Briton’s debut appearance in the Gulf 12 Hours, but Barnicoat brings a wealth of McLaren endurance racing experience from the past few seasons which has seen him contest the Suzuka 10 Hours, race and the Blancpain GT Endurance Series, which includes the 24 Hours of Spa event.

The confirmation of Parente and van Gisbergen is a re-pairing of two of the most exciting names in GT3 racing. They have extensive experience at the wheel of various McLaren models, and both have enjoyed significant success with the brand in recent seasons. Between them, the duo has secured race and championship wins across Europe, North America and Australia, the most notable result coming in 2016 at the Bathurst 12 Hour race with pole position, lap record and overall victory.

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Álvaro Parente, 34, makes a return to the track in a McLaren following several seasons campaigning with the brand across Europe, Australia and North America. The Portuguese driver contested the Gulf 12 Hours in 2014, securing a podium finish with the 650S GT3 on its debut, and went on to enjoy significant success on the world stage at the highest level with the car, including a dominant season in the Pirelli World Challenge where he secured driver, team and manufacturer honours at the wheel during the 2016 campaign.

Sharing the same home town of Auckland in New Zealand as company founder Bruce McLaren, Shane van Gisbergen brings a further wealth of race-winning experience across a range of disciplines, most notably in GT3 and V8 Supercars. Van Gisbergen first raced in a McLaren during the 2014 season, and won the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup in 2016, the same year in which he claimed the International V8 title. Like Barnicoat, the 29-year old New Zealander will run at the Gulf 12 Hours for the first time.

“The Gulf 12 Hours is a stern test for the car but with the development mileage we have accumulated and with the fantastic driver line-up we’ll be able to gauge the potential of the new McLaren 720S GT3. We’re confident that we’ve put the new car through a comprehensive development programme, with lead driver Ben Barnicoat taking a critical role in the process. Teaming him up with Alvaro Parente and Shane van Gisbergen, two excellent racers who both have extensive GT racing experience with McLaren machinery, it should make for an interesting competition debut for the car.” Dan Walmsley, McLaren Automotive, Director of Motorsport

This exciting full-Pro entry by McLaren Automotive in the Gulf 12 Hour race comes as the 720S GT3 continues to progress through an intensive testing and development programme. The development prototypes of the first car designed and built by McLaren Automotive’s in-house motorsport department have completed testing at circuits across Europe and, most recently, the Middle East. Working extensively with tyre partner Pirelli in a variety of weather conditions, the development team has simulated sprint and endurance race distances and gathered significant levels of data to optimise the performance and set up.

The race debut for the 720S GT3 follows its first public appearance at the recent Bahrain GT Festival. As a live race environment, and against one of the most competitive grids in the event’s history, this latest test at the Yas Marina circuit will be the car’s most demanding challenge to date.

The Gulf 12 Hours takes place at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, December 13-15 2018, with the first part of the race starting at 09.00 local time (05.00 GMT), Saturday December 18 and the second part of the race starting at 17.45 local time (13.45 GMT) on the same day.

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Notes to Editors: A selection of high resolution images accompanying this release is available to download from the McLaren Automotive media site – cars..press

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About McLaren Automotive: McLaren Automotive is a creator of luxury, high-performance sportscars and supercars.

Every vehicle is hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey, England.

Launched in 2010, the company is now the largest part of the McLaren Group.

The company has three defined product families: Sports Series, Super Series and Ultimate Series which are retailed through over 80 retailers in 30 markets around the world.

McLaren is a pioneer that continuously pushes the boundaries. In 1981, it introduced lightweight and strong carbon fibre chassis into Formula 1 with the McLaren MP4/1. Then in 1993 it designed and built the McLaren F1 road car - the company has not built a car without a carbon fibre chassis since. As part of the Ultimate Series, McLaren was the first to deliver a hybrid hypercar, the McLaren P1™.

Announced at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2018, the company’s Track25 business plan will see it invest £1.2billion in research and development to deliver 18 new cars or derivatives by the end of 2025.

2017 saw the company launch further models including the second-generation Super Series, the 570S Spider and the McLaren Senna. In 2018, the company launched the 600LT.

To support the development, engineering and manufacture of its range of innovative sportscars and supercars, McLaren Automotive partners with world leading companies to provide specialist expertise and technology. These include AkzoNobel, Kenwood, Pirelli and Richard Mille.

McLaren Group: The McLaren Group is a global leader in luxury automotive and technology and comprises three businesses: Automotive, Racing and Applied Technologies.

Further information:

Wayne Bruce Global Communications & PR Director | McLaren Automotive Limited Phone: +44 (0) 1483 261500 Mobile: +44 (0) 7768 132429 Email: [email protected]

Daniel Golding Global Head of Corporate Communications | McLaren Automotive Limited Phone:+44 (0) 1483 261500 Mobile: +44 (0) 7717 450469 Email: [email protected]

Paul Chadderton Global Product Communications & PR Manager | McLaren Automotive Limited Phone:+44 (0) 1483 261500 Mobile: +44 (0) 7990 776749 Email: [email protected]

Amel Boubaaya Head of Lifestyle and EU Communications | McLaren Automotive Limited Phone: +44 (0) 1483 261500 Mobile: +44 (0) 7920 531357 E-mail: [email protected]

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Freddie Gilbey Lifestyle Communications Manager | McLaren Automotive Limited Phone: +44 (0) 1483 261500 Mobile: +44 (0) 75 0099 9553 Email: [email protected]

Hunter Skipworth Social Media Manager | McLaren Automotive Limited Phone: +44 (0) 1483 261500 Mobile: +44 (0) 7990 564 052 E-mail: [email protected]

Kevin Ritson Press Officer | McLaren Automotive Limited Phone: +44 (0) 1483 261500 Mobile: +44 (0) 7979 546018 E-mail: [email protected]

Roger Ormisher Vice President, Communications & PR | McLaren North America Phone: +1 714 501 8137 Email: [email protected]

Laura Tilley Public Relations | McLaren North America Phone: +1 765 517 2186 Email: [email protected]

Karin Haferkorn Head of Marketing & PR, Middle East, Africa and Latin America | McLaren Automotive Limited Phone: +44 (0) 1483 261343 Mobile: +44 (0) 7899 816872 Email: [email protected]

Sunny Zhang PR Communication Director - China | McLaren Automotive Limited Phone: +86 (0) 21 2074 0520 Mobile: +86 186 1617 9933 Email: [email protected]

Gracia Yap PR Manager – Asia Pacific | McLaren Automotive Limited Phone: +65 6338 3700 Mobile: +65 9109 3698Email: [email protected]

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