Etihad Airways became an Official Partner of the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team and McLaren United Autosports WEC Hypercar Team for the 2026 season and beyond, McLaren Racing and Etihad announced on 26 February 2026. The deal covers branding on both teams’ cars, McLaren F1 driver helmets, and digital and experiential rights. Etihad also said it planned to add McLaren branding to one Boeing 787 Dreamliner later in 2026; the official pages cited below do not confirm that the aircraft has entered service in the new livery.
Which McLaren teams are included?
The partnership spans two series: the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team and the McLaren United Autosports WEC Hypercar Team. Both official announcements describe the relationship as beginning with the 2026 season and continuing “beyond,” without setting a fixed end date. McLaren Racing’s announcement and Etihad’s announcement identify Etihad as an Official Partner.
The announcements do not disclose the financial value of the agreement or describe Etihad as McLaren’s exclusive airline partner. They establish a sponsorship relationship, not its commercial terms.
What branding and fan activations are part of the deal?
Cars and helmets
Etihad branding is planned for the Formula 1 and WEC cars. For the F1 car, the announcement specifically identifies the MCL40’s rear wing and halo. It also names McLaren F1 team driver helmets as a branding location.
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Digital and experiential rights
The agreement includes digital and experiential rights intended to bring fans closer to the action. The announcements do not give a detailed activation calendar, so they do not establish specific events, fan experiences, or launch dates for these rights.
Why does Etihad connect the partnership to travel?
McLaren races around the world, while Etihad says its network serves more than 100 destinations. The announcements frame the airline’s network as support for the teams’ global schedule and cite the UAE, Australia, China, Japan, the UK, Spain, Italy, and the United States as example markets. Those examples do not show that Etihad operates nonstop service to every race location.
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For Etihad, the deal adds a relationship with a second McLaren racing program alongside its existing Formula 1 presence: the company says it has been title sponsor of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2009. That history is stated in the 2026 partnership announcements.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Will Etihad fly a McLaren-branded Boeing 787?
Etihad said the partnership would be celebrated with McLaren Racing branding on one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft later in 2026. That is an announced future activation, not confirmation that the livery has launched. Etihad’s official sponsorship listing, accessed on 8 October 2026, lists the McLaren relationship as a 2026 partnership but does not update the aircraft’s launch status.
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