Google is extending its partnership with the McLaren Formula 1 Team, execs from the companies shared exclusively with Marketing Brew.<\/p>\n
The announcement comes the day before the start of the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, where Google will activate with McLaren and the Las Vegas Sphere, according to Nick Drake, global VP of marketing at Google. Drake declined to share exactly how long Google\u2019s current deal with McLaren is set to last, but he said the extension represents a \u201cmultiyear agreement.\u201d The sponsorship officially kicked off in 2022.<\/p>\n
The updated deal also marks a shift in the partnership\u2019s focus from Google Chrome, which has been a previous focal point, to its AI assistant tool Gemini, the third model of which Google unveiled on Tuesday. Branding for Gemini has already replaced the Chrome logo on McLaren\u2019s engine covers, Drake said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe application of generative AI in the Formula 1 space is really, really exciting,\u201d Drake told Marketing Brew. \u201cIt\u2019s great from a fan perspective, we see great applications for the drivers themselves, and obviously for the team and team performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roadside assistance<\/h2>\n
McLaren, the reigning Constructors\u2019 Champion for the 2024 and 2025 F1 seasons, first debuted Gemini on its car liveries and race suits last month at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, and the team used the AI\u2019s image tools to help design driver Oscar Piastri\u2019s helmet for the race. McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown told us he personally uses Gemini for tasks like research.<\/p>\n
In addition to Gemini, the McLaren team uses Google products like its Health and Android devices to connect drivers to their crews while they\u2019re racing and analyze pit-stop performance. McLaren set the record for the fastest F1 pit stop in 2023 while using Google tech, Drake said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you put our two teams together, it kind of makes everyone feel like they\u2019re on one team,\u201d Brown said. \u201cGoogle can take credit for our\u2026on-track success because they contribute to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
With consecutive Constructors\u2019 wins and both of its drivers in strong contention for the World Drivers\u2019 Championship, McLaren is an attractive option for marketers looking to get involved with F1, as many have been. Already, the team has attracted more than 100 brand partners, according to Brown, including Hilton, OKX, and incoming naming rights sponsor Mastercard.<\/p>\n
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Brown said Google is an ideal sponsor for McLaren because the brand is \u201ciconic,\u201d \u201cyouthful,\u201d and provides value to the team from a tech, B2B, and fan engagement standpoint.<\/p>\n
Fan service<\/h2>\n
Brand awareness is a major KPI for the partnership, Drake said, so tracking fan engagement is important to the Google team. Campaigns featuring the McLaren drivers\u2014Piastri and current Drivers\u2019 Championship leader Lando Norris\u2014tend to lead to high engagement, Drake said; in recent ads, Piastri and Norris have demonstrated how they use Gemini and Android. Drake didn\u2019t share exact campaign metrics, but he said brand lift studies have yielded \u201cextremely positive\u201d results.<\/p>\n