Mastercard Accelerates as Title Sponsor of McLaren F1 Team from 2026

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Mastercard is taking pole position in Formula 1 by becoming the Official Naming Partner of the McLaren Racing team, starting in the 2026 season. The team will compete for the first time as the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team—marking McLaren’s first title sponsor partnership since Vodaphone in 2007–2013. The multi-season deal is reported to be worth $100 million per year, making it the most lucrative sponsorship in McLaren’s history.

The new chapter officially launched with a high-energy fan event in Amsterdam ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix. Fans experienced driver appearances by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, music from DJ Calvin Harris, and immersive activations that highlighted what Mastercard calls ‘Team Priceless’—a global initiative designed to bring fans closer to the team through VIP opportunities like track hot laps, driver meet-and-greets, and localized experiences in host cities.

Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, emphasized that this partnership remains rooted in the team’s long-standing commitment to fans: “We will continue to put our fans first, bring them even closer to the team, and offer incredible experiences.”    Meanwhile, Raja Rajamannar, CMO of Mastercard, described the deal as a natural alignment of values, positioning “Team Priceless” as a vision-forward initiative in fan engagement.

The rebranding is not just cosmetic. McLaren Racing will carry the Mastercard identity across global broadcasts, race-day experiences, and digital platforms—unifying performance with fan-first storytelling.