McLaren Racing inks extension with British American Tobacco
April 8, 2024
McLaren Racing has announced a multi-year partnership extension with British American Tobacco (BAT), continuing as Official Principal Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team from this season.
BAT is a leading multi-national consumer goods business and has been partnered with the McLaren F1 Team since 2019. The partnership is rooted in advanced technology, transformation, and innovation.
McLaren and BAT’s brand Vuse last week launched the latest edition of the “Driven by Change” campaign for the Japanese Grand Prix, which saw a design by local artist MILTZ on the MCL38 cars in Suzuka. The Driven by Change campaign celebrates emerging creatives through the global motorsport platform, providing opportunities to showcase their innovative artwork to the world.
The campaign, now in its fourth year, has championed rising artists including Rabab Tantawy, Anna Tangles and Nujood Al-Otaibi, who each produced artwork which was carried on McLaren’s race cars at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively. Driven by Change is underpinned by diversity, equity & inclusion, a key pillar of McLaren’s sustainability mission.
BAT’s brands will continue to be represented on McLaren’s F1 race cars from the current season, and as part of the extension, will also see branding feature on NEOM McLaren Formula E Team race cars for the remainder of the season.
Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said: “I am thrilled to announce this partnership extension with our long-standing partner BAT. Together, we will continue to champion important causes, such as DE&I, and deliver campaigns that engage and excite our global fanbase.
“BAT’s transformation journey is fast-paced and innovative, just like Formula 1. I am proud that we will continue our partnership into the future.”
Kingsley Wheaton, Chief Growth & Strategy Officer, BAT, said: “We are extremely proud of the partnership we’ve built with McLaren over the last five years. Our shared expertise and lessons learned has helped us to build multi-billion-dollar brands and I am excited to see where this partnership goes from here.
“With cutting-edge innovation capabilities, purposeful brand engagement and a programme of events and projects which exemplify our commitment to diversity and inclusion – the McLaren partnership will continue to support BAT’s transformation agenda. With McLaren as a partner, we are well placed to continue building a Smokeless World.”
