Abu Dhabi, Uae (OTE) – Abu Dhabi, Uae (ots/PRNewswire)
– Nine McLaren Formula 1® Team superfans inspire artwork rooted in
nostalgia for the McLaren MCL39, translating personal memories and
stories into racing history as part of the ‚Live Your Fandom‘
campaign.
– Designed for the fans, by the fans, the unique artwork forms part
of a Race Takeover with the McLaren Formula 1® Team across the Abu
Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.
Today, VELO, a leading global brand of nicotine pouches, and the
McLaren Formula 1® Team announce a fan-inspired livery design for the
upcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This special livery, uniquely co-
created by nine McLaren Formula 1® Team superfans from around the
world showcases shared passion and unforgettable moments, to
celebrate the unwavering support of the global McLaren Formula 1®
Team fan community.
Championing self-expression, VELO and the McLaren Formula 1® Team
are putting fandom front and centre through the ‚Live Your Fandom‘
campaign. The two brands have come together to deliver unparalleled
experiences for fans this season, culminating in an immersive race
takeover with the McLaren Formula 1® Team during the Abu Dhabi race
weekend. From McLaren Formula 1 Team driver suits to paddock screens
and garage walls, the race-wide artwork will show up in core elements
with the McLaren Formula 1® Team over the iconic finale weekend.
In August, the ‚Live Your Fandom‘ campaign granted nine superfans
from the UK, Romania, Czech Republic, Mexico, and beyond a ‚golden
ticket‘ experience. These fans spent a full day at the McLaren
Technology Centre (MTC), enjoying a behind-the-scenes tour, sharing
their cherished McLaren Formula 1® Team memories directly with
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, as well as a surprise Q&A session with
McLaren Formula 1® Team Driver, Lando Norris.
The superfans not only walked in as spectators, but as creators.
The McLaren Formula 1® Team 2025 Abu Dhabi livery design features co-
created artwork inspired by their most defining McLaren moments.
These stories are distilled into iconic visuals, making the design
far more than just graphics. In an intimate workshop, the fans poured
their passion into sketches and symbols, unknowingly shaping the
livery for the season finale. Their contribution to the process was
revealed when they returned to the MTC for an exclusive preview with
Zak Brown and Lando Norris.
The livery features a series of bespoke icons, each representing
a cherished fan memory or a symbol of the McLaren Formula 1® Team’s
enduring legacy and community spirit.
These include:
– Papaya Family: An icon of the self-titled term representing the
community spirit of McLaren Formula 1® Team fans from around the
world and their unwavering support.
– Forever Forward Friendship Bracelet: Inspired by a bracelet from a
fan, this icon symbolises the McLaren Formula 1® Team motto, and how
fandom unites strangers into lifelong friends.
– Home Wins: An icon symbolising the UK team winning at its home this
season – the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, and at the Bahrain
Grand Prix, which is considered as the second home for the McLaren
Formula 1® Team.
– Back-to-Back Constructors‘ Champions: Celebrating an era of
dominance and echoing the fans‘ pride in the team’s history and
heritage, the fans have chosen to celebrate this incredible success
with a trophy icon.
– 200 Race Wins: A representation of the 200 Race Wins milestone at
the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix for the McLaren Formula 1® Team was
inspired by the fans recalling it as a „goosebump moment“ that only
racing history can deliver.
– 1-2: Selected to represent the McLaren Formula 1® Team’s 50th 1-2
finish at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix from the season, a memorable
moment for the team and its fans.
– Fastest Pitstop: A nod to the McLaren Formula1 Team’s® 1.91-second
pitstop, the fastest of the 2025 Formula 1 season (as of the Las
Vegas Grand Prix) celebrated by the fans as a mark of precision and
teamwork.
Luca Angiolillo, Global Head of Partnerships at BAT, commented:
„VELO believes in championing authentic self-expression, and what
better way than to literally put the passion of the McLaren Formula 1
® Team global fanbase onto the MCL39. 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!“
Louise McEwen, Chief Marketing Officer, McLaren Racing,
commented: „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. “
To learn more about the VELO x McLaren Formula 1® Team ‚Live Your
Fandom‘ campaign and the fan-inspired livery, visit VELO’s Instagram,
as well as McLaren Racing’s website to discover more about this
initiative.
+18 Only. This product contains nicotine and is addictive.
ENDS** Notes To Editors **
ABOUT VELO
Originating in Scandinavia, Velo is a global brand of nicotine
pouches.
Nicotine pouches are small pouches that contain nicotine. They’re
designed to be tucked between your lip and gum, where they release
nicotine over a short time – this can be different from brand to
brand. For adult nicotine consumers, nicotine pouches can be an
alternative to cigarettes and a convenient way to consume nicotine.
Nicotine consumers have more choices than ever, as VELO pouches also
come in an assortment of flavours and nicotine strengths for
different tastes and nicotine experience levels.
About BAT
BAT is a leading global multi-category consumer goods business.
Underpinned by world-leading science and research and development,
our purpose is to create A Better Tomorrow™ by Building a Smokeless
World.
Central to achieving this is the concept of Tobacco Harm
Reduction (THR) – the switching of smokers, who would otherwise
continue to smoke, from risky forms of combustible tobacco products
like cigarettes, to lower risk profile smokeless tobacco and nicotine
products. This is outlined further in Omni™, an evidence-based
manifesto for change, which captures BAT’s commitment and progress on
THR.
BAT employs more than 48,000 people and, in 2024, generated
revenue of £25.9bn, with an adjusted profit from operations of
£11.9bn.
BAT’s aim is to have 50 million adult consumers of its smokeless
products by 2030 and generate 50% of its revenue from these products
by 2035. With 30.5 million current users – including vapour brand
Vuse; heated product brand glo; and modern oral (nicotine pouch)
brand Velo – BAT’s new category revenues have climbed to £3.4bn in
2024, with strong progress in profitability.
BAT continues to strive towards reducing its use of virgin raw
materials, enhancing the communities in which it operates and working
towards net zero across its value chain by 2050. BAT received a
„Triple-A“ rating from CDP for its 2024 disclosures on Climate
Change, Water Security and Forests; and was recently named a
Financial Times Climate Leader for the fifth year running.
About McLaren Racing
McLaren Racing was founded by racing driver Bruce McLaren in
1963. The team entered its first Formula 1 race in 1966. McLaren has
since won 22 Formula 1 world championships, over 200 Formula 1 Grands
Prix, the Indianapolis 500 three times, and the Le Mans 24 Hours at
its first attempt.
McLaren Racing competes across four racing series. The team
competes in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship with McLaren F1
drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with
Arrow McLaren drivers Pato O’Ward, Nolan Siegel and Christian
Lundgaard, and F1 Academy with Driver Development Programme member
Ella Lloyd. The team also competes in the F1 Sim Racing Championship
as McLaren Shadow.
McLaren is a champion for sustainability in the sport and a
signatory to the UN Sports for Climate Action Commitment. It is
committed to achieving net zero by 2040 and fostering a diverse and
inclusive culture in the motorsport industry.
McLaren Racing – Official Website
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