Today, 27 August 2025, McLaren Racing have announced Mastercard as the new official naming partner of the team. Mastercard has been an established primary partner of the team since July 2024. They officially launched their partnership in Las Vegas last November.
The name change will take effect from 2026 onwards, when they will be officially named McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team.
This kind of name change partnership is common among the F1 grid in 2025. Williams became Atlassian Williams Racing in 2025, Red Bull became Oracle Red Bull Racing in 2022, and so on.
Emphasis on fan impact, new ‘Team Priceless’ initiative
In Mastercard’s official press release, they stated that this name change represents “an exciting new era not only for the partnership, but for fans of the team around the world.
“This expanded collaboration will unlock more opportunities for fans to enjoy exclusive, behind-the-scenes access and one-of-a-kind experiences.”
Mastercard plans to give papaya fans unprecedented access to their favourite team through a series of activities and experiences. They have named this the ‘Team Priceless’ initiative.
These experiences and events will include hot laps, meet-and-greets, and cultural experiences. These experiences will take place on select race days for chosen fans, with a lottery format available to Mastercard holders. More details will be released later, as the statement assures.
McLaren and Mastercard will hold an official launch of their partnership later today with a fan event in Amsterdam. The event promises to feature McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, along with live music performances.
A word from Zak Brown, and Mastercard CMO Raja Rajamannar
The official statement included comments from McLaren Team Principal Zak Brown. The American team boss is clearly excited about the focus on fan engagement, as he stated in the press release.
“There is no one more important to us than our awesome fans. So, I could not be more delighted to enter this next chapter in our partnership with Mastercard with a promise to our papaya family around the world: that we will continue to put our fans first, bring them even closer to the team, and offer incredible experiences.
“Mastercard is a fantastic partner who shares our passion and values, so to have them on board as naming partner will offer us the perfect launch pad to keep pushing on and off track – and I cannot wait to see Team Priceless come to life in 2026.”
Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Mastercard, Raja Rajamannar, doubled down on the importance of giving back to McLaren’s loyal fanbase through this partnership.
“Our partnership has been grounded in putting fans in pole position since day one, and becoming the Official Naming Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team takes that commitment to the next level.
“McLaren Racing represents the pinnacle of innovation, precision, and performance, values that mirror our own as we push boundaries and delivering winning experiences. Collaborations like Team Priceless reflect those values and give fans plenty to look forward to for this season and many more.”
