Google enters into a multi-year deal with McLaren F1 team

Google has entered into a multi-year deal with McLaren F1 team ahead of the start of the new Formula One season which begins in Bahrain over the course of the upcoming weekend. McLaren confirmed the deal and highlighted that Android and Chrome branding would be seen on the F1 car's engine and on the wheel covers.

McLaren team has emerged as a dominant force in recent years, finishing third in the 2020 and fourth in the 2019 seasons. Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris will once again race for the UK-based team in the upcoming season. The Android and Chrome branding would also be seen on the helmets and race suits of both drivers. "By integrating platforms like Android and Chrome across our operations, our team will be better supported to focus on driving performance," said McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown in a statement.

McLaren has further announced that it would be making use of 5G-enabled Android devices and Chrome browser across its operations during practice sessions, qualifying and races to support the drivers and the team, with the goal of improving on-track performance.

The move is also more than likely to bring even more spotlight to Google and shows the growing intrest in F1 in the US and other parts of the world. “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," said Nicholas Drake, VP of Marketing, 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."