With the 2025 F1 season culminating in a high-stakes, multi-driver championship battle, the final race in Abu Dhabi requires meticulous management not just of the car, but of the team identity and external pressure. McLaren introduced a special livery for Abu Dhabi as the Drivers’ Championship is firmly on the line for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
The McLaren F1 Team’s announcement of a special fan-inspired livery, developed in collaboration with Principal Partner BAT’s VELO brand, serves as a significant off-track logistical operation designed to anchor the team’s culture.
Logistical & creative development
The “Live Your Fandom” campaign livery is not merely a cosmetic one-off; it is a collaborative design exercise. The artwork features bespoke icons created in conjunction with nine global fans. It showcases the passion and legacy of the ‘Papaya Family’.
The logistical challenge lies in integrating this artwork across the team environment, far beyond the MCL39 itself. The fan-driven elements will be visible race-wide: on drivers’ race suits, paddock screens and garage walls. They aim to ensure the fan spirit is omnipresent across the team’s core operational areas during the climax of the season.
The program’s methodical nature is clear in its timeline. Selected fans were brought to the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) earlier this year for initial collaboration. They later returned for a preview of the finished livery ahead of its Abu Dhabi debut. This pre-planned, multi-stage engagement ensures the final design is authentic and acts as a supportive cultural backdrop for the pivotal weekend.
Interpretive analysis: Managing final-round pressure
From a team management perspective, deploying such a fan-centric activation for the finale is a clear strategic move to manage emotional volatility. Instead of focusing solely on the internal championship tension, the livery deployment redirects focus outwards. It reinforces the supportive community behind the drivers as they chase the biggest prize in motorsport.
McLaren Racing Chief Marketing Officer, Louise McEwen, emphasised this cultural significance: “Our fans are at the heart of everything we do, and this special livery is another way of showing our appreciation. Through the ‘Live Your Fandom’ campaign with VELO, we’ve been able to celebrate their passion and creativity in a way that truly brings the Papaya Family together.”
Furthermore, Luca Angiolillo, Global Head of Partnerships at BAT, highlighted the strategic integration: “This co-created design is a powerful statement of how deeply fans are integrated into the team’s journey, which is the ultimate embodiment of our ‘Live Your Fandom’ campaign. VELO is proud to celebrate these experiences that allow fans to embrace their own unique fandom as part of a community – and we can’t wait to see this special fan-driven takeover take centre stage at the season finale!”
The decision to deploy this specific, collaborative livery by McLaren for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was clear. It is a clear-eyed commitment to maintaining a positive team identity, using fan energy not as a distraction, but as a stabilising force during the final, defining weekend of the season.
