McLaren and Gulf Oil International Ltd have today announced a multi-year strategic partnership that will see Gulf, one of the most iconic brands in the world, partner with world-famous race team McLaren Racing and luxury supercar company McLaren Automotive.
The partnership reunites two renowned brands that have a long-standing and successful history together. The new deal will cover both McLaren’s F1 team as well as its luxury supercar company McLaren Automotive.
What’s new in this partnership?
In a press release, Mclaren states that the partnership symbolises a united ambition to use both brands’ innovation and class-leading capabilities to refine a winning formula, both on the track and on the road. McLaren’s F1 cars will carry Gulf Oil branding from this weekend’s 2020 British GP. Additionally, the company’s logo will also feature on Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz’s overalls, as well as on those of the pit crew.
Gulf branding will also appear on the engine covers and wing mirrors of the McLaren MCL35 race cars. At the end of last year, the British team had decided to end its partnership with Brazilian oil company Petrobras for cost-cutting purposes, paving the way for this new deal to be inked.
From 2021, Gulf will become the preferred lubricant supplier to McLaren Automotive, with all cars to be filled with Gulf Oil and fuel optimised for high-performance engines. In addition, a small and exclusive number of customers will be given the option to have their McLaren supercar hand-painted by McLaren Special Operations, the firm’s bespoke division, in Gulf liveries and colours which echo the famous F1 GTR Le Mans car that raced in the 1990s.
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Commenting on this new development, Zak Brown, CEO at McLaren Racing said, “We’re delighted to welcome Gulf Oil back to McLaren and reunite two iconic brands back together in a new and exciting partnership. Gulf Oil is part of McLaren’s history and is well-known for its innovation and technical excellence in the industry, which aligns with McLaren perfectly. We are looking forward to starting our partnership together this season.”
McLaren Relationship With Gulf oil
Gulf’s link with McLaren started in 1968 and continued until the end of the 1973 season, with Gulf and McLaren enjoying success in both Formula 1 and the Can-Am series, in which the partnership won over 40 races. The partnership was then renewed at the Le Mans 24 Hours in the 1990s, with the famous McLaren F1 GTR running in Gulf colours throughout the decade.
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This is a very exciting partnership that brings the Gulf brand back into elite motor racing. The history books are full of remarkable tales that Gulf Oil and McLaren have achieved in the past and now we are together once more to write the next chapter of this unique partnership,” added Mike Jones, CEO of Gulf Oil.