Google pens McLaren deal as tech world takes over F1 world
McLaren Racing has announced a major multi-year partnership with Google, marking the latest big tech company to dabble in the Formula 1.
As a new partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team and the McLaren MX Extreme E Team from 2022, the F1 team will use Google products throughout race operation.
Android and Chrome branding will be carried on the engine cover and wheel covers of the MCL36 Formula 1 race cars, and on the helmets and race suits of McLaren Formula 1 drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo from the 2022 Formula 1 season.
Meanwhile, Google branding will also be visible on the Number 58 McLaren MX Extreme E race car, and on the race suits of McLaren MX Extreme E drivers Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust from the 2022 Island X Prix.
The news comes as more and more tech firms find themselves on the F1 track. For instance, Oracle sponsor RedBull, whilst chipmaker AMD back Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes team.
Zak Brown, chief exec, McLaren Racing, said: “We are absolutely delighted and proud to welcome Google to the McLaren Racing family. Google is a global leader in technology and has been a ground-breaking innovator in connecting people around the world. By integrating platforms like Android and Chrome across our operations, our team will be better supported to focus on driving performance. We’re looking forward to an exciting partnership that spans across Formula 1 and Extreme E.”
Nicholas Drake, VP of Marketing, Google, said: “McLaren Racing represents the very best of what’s possible on a racetrack across performance, inclusion and sustainability, and those are values we share at Google. We’re bringing more innovation to platforms, like Android and Chrome, and seamlessly connecting them to other Google services to optimize McLaren’s race day performance.”