F1: McLaren Secures Major Mastercard Sponsorship Ahead of Belgian GP

McLaren has announced a multi-year partnership with payments giant Mastercard, which has joined the team as a major sponsor ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix. The global payments leader will assume the role of a major sponsor for the Woking-based F1 team. McLaren has enjoyed a competitive 2024 season thus far, securing two race victories and establishing itself as a formidable challenger to the reigning World Champions, Red Bull Racing. Mastercard brings a history of involvement in Formula 1, having previously sponsored the Mastercard Lola team in 1997 and the Jordan team from 1998 to 2001. This new partnership marks a return to the sport for Mastercard, joining Visa and American Express as key players in the Formula 1 sponsorship landscape. Visa currently holds the title sponsorship of Red Bull Racing, while American Express has a regional partnership with Formula 1.

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Chief Executive Officer Of MacLaren Racing Zak Brown said: 'Mastercard is an incredible brand with the iconic red and yellow logo instantly recognisable wherever you are in the world. Mastercard shares our absolute passion for offering fans fantastic experiences and opportunities to truly feel part of our growing global racing community – and we are delighted to welcome them to the McLaren Racing family.'

Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Mastercard said: 'We are constantly exploring new ways to bring value to our customers and cardholders. Getting them closer to their passions, what they love most, is central to this, and racing has become one of the most exhilarating, universal passions globally. For many people, McLaren is synonymous with racing – exciting, innovative, purpose-driven. We are thrilled to partner with them and to join our brands together in a meaningful way in the eyes of fans everywhere.'

F1: The Constructor Fight

McLaren has consistently outperformed Red Bull in recent races, taking advantage of the RB20's weaknesses on tracks with aggressive kerbs and abrasive surfaces. While favourable conditions have helped McLaren, their overall performance has been more competitive.

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At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Red Bull introduced significant upgrades to address these weaknesses, but they didn't achieve a substantial performance boost at the Hungaroring.

Despite leading the constructors' championship by 51 points, Red Bull must stay vigilant. McLaren's strong form has reduced the gap, and the Milton Keynes team will need to optimize their performance at every race to maintain their lead.