McLaren has entered a “major multi-year partnership” with Google. This collaboration will add Chrome branding to the wheel covers of its 2022 Formula 1 car.
This will make Google an “official partner” of McLaren’s F1 and Extreme E teams starting from 2022.
McLaren says it will use various Google products including 5G-enabled Android devices and the Chrome internet browser.
Android branding has been added to the engine cover. The color scheme of the car has been amped up since its launch and the colors of the well-known Chrome logo will be incorporated into the MCL36’s wheel covers.
Both Google brands will also be represented on the helmets and race suits of McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo.
“Google is a global leader in technology and has been a ground-breaking innovator in connecting people around the world,” said McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown.
“By integrating platforms like Android and Chrome across our operations, our team will be better supported to focus on driving performance.”
Dell Technologies, Coca-Cola, and Unilever have all been brought into McLaren under Brown’s leadership.
It is a huge leap for Google to be involved in the F1 business. It could represent huge business for McLaren.
Google’s parent company Alphabet is one of the most valuable in the world with an estimated worth of around $1.8trillion.
Nicholas Drake, Google’s vice president of marketing, 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,” he said.
