Richard Mille Partner Grégoire Saucy Joins the McLaren Driver Development Programme 2026
Key Highlights
- Grégoire Saucy, 26, joined McLaren’s Driver Development Programme in February 2026
- Richard Mille partner since 2017, supported by co-founder Dominique Guenat
- 2021 Formula Regional European Championship winner — eight wins, eight poles, ten podiums
- Transitioning from single-seaters to endurance racing since 2024 with United Autosports
- Competes in ELMS LMP2 and IMSA rounds in 2026, plus McLaren Racing testing activities
A Driver Built for the Highest Level
Grégoire Saucy’s path to McLaren’s talent pipeline is a story of sustained excellence from an exceptionally early age. The Swiss driver obtained his competition licence at just seven years old — the youngest licensee in Switzerland at the time — before progressing through various national karting championships as a consistent podium finisher. He made the step to single-seaters in 2015 with the V de V Challenge Monoplace, setting the foundation for a career defined by measured ambition and measurable results.
It was in Formula Renault that Saucy forged the partnership with ART Grand Prix that would produce his most decorated season to date. In 2021, with the backing of Richard Mille, he claimed the Formula Regional European Championship title — eight wins, eight pole positions, and ten podium finishes in a dominant campaign that confirmed his readiness for the sport’s senior categories. Along the way he also accumulated experience in the Italian and ADAC Formula 4 championships, as well as the Toyota Racing Series.
From Single-Seaters to Endurance Racing
In 2024, Saucy broadened his technical repertoire by making the switch to sports car competition. Joining United Autosports in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMGT3 category, he delivered a fourth-place finish in the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Daytona — an encouraging debut that demonstrated his ability to adapt to the distinct physical and strategic demands of endurance racing. The transition was far from a sideways move; it reflected a deliberate evolution in his competitive profile.
For 2026, Saucy continues with United Autosports in the ELMS LMP2 series and in selected IMSA rounds, building on two years of growing fluency in sports car racing. In parallel, his entry into the McLaren Driver Development Programme adds a new structural dimension to his season. He will take part in testing activities across the McLaren Racing portfolio — experience that places him alongside some of the most sophisticated technical infrastructure in global motorsport. As Saucy himself noted: “I am really excited to have joined this programme, which offers strong support and many opportunities to continue developing every aspect required to become a top-level driver.”
The Richard Mille Partnership
Saucy’s relationship with Richard Mille dates to 2017, when Dominique Guenat, co-founder of the brand, identified in the young Swiss driver the temperament and talent to represent Switzerland on the international stage. The values that define the partnership — humility, determination, and a combative spirit in the face of adversity — mirror those that Richard Mille embeds in its timepieces, pieces engineered under the same philosophy of extreme performance that characterises drivers like Saucy. Models such as the RM 67-02 Automatic Extra Flat exemplify this commitment to ultra-light, high-resistance construction built for athletes at the top of their discipline.
The McLaren Driver Development Programme represents a natural continuation of that trajectory. With a rigorous racing calendar across two continents and access to McLaren’s technical resources, Saucy enters 2026 with the clearest path yet toward the upper echelons of professional motorsport. For Richard Mille — a brand whose identity is inseparable from elite athletic partnership — it is another chapter in a long-standing commitment to nurturing the next generation of champions.
Why It Matters
For GCC audiences who follow both luxury watchmaking and the global racing calendar, Saucy’s progression illustrates precisely why Richard Mille’s athlete partnerships carry genuine credibility. This is not endorsement for its own sake — it is a decade-long investment in a driver whose career arc validates the brand’s values at every turn. His entry into the McLaren ecosystem makes him one of the most closely watched young talents in endurance racing heading into the second half of the decade.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When did Grégoire Saucy join the McLaren Driver Development Programme?
Grégoire Saucy joined the McLaren Driver Development Programme in February 2026, marking a significant new chapter in his motorsport career.
What is Grégoire Saucy's connection to Richard Mille?
Grégoire Saucy has been a Richard Mille partner since 2017, when co-founder Dominique Guenat recognised his potential to compete at the highest international level.
What major title did Grégoire Saucy win with Richard Mille's support?
Saucy won the Formula Regional European Championship in 2021 with ART Grand Prix, finishing the season with eight wins, eight pole positions, and ten podium finishes.
What racing series does Grégoire Saucy compete in for 2026?
For the 2026 season, Saucy competes in the ELMS LMP2 series and selected IMSA rounds with United Autosports, while also participating in McLaren Racing testing activities.
What is Richard Mille's broader approach to motorsport sponsorship?
Richard Mille is a Swiss-founded luxury watchmaking house known for engineering-led timepieces and deep partnerships with elite athletes and racing drivers, reflecting shared values of precision, resilience, and performance.
