McLaren today joined hands officially with Gulf Oil for a multi-year strategic partnership. The strategic partnership will cover McLaren's F1 team, the effects of which trickle down to the road car business.
The Gulf Oil logo will be visible on the engine cover and mirrors of McLaren’s F1 cars, and will also be visible on the team’s uniform right from this weekend’s Grand Prix at Silverstone. From 2021, Gulf will become the preferred lubricant supplier for McLaren Automotive and all cars will be filled with Gulf fuel and lubricants that are optimised for high-performance engines. Customers can spec their McLarens in the iconic Gulf livery, though McLaren says that this will be limited to “a small and exclusive number of customers.”
McLaren and Gulf first allied in the year 1968 and continued the partnership until the end of the season in 1973 where the duo had a couple of race wins under their hat in F1 and Can-Am. The partnership was then renewed at the Le Mans 24 Hours in the 1990s, with the infamous McLaren's F1 GTR running in Gulf colours throughout the decade.
Speaking about the strategic partnership, Mike Jones, CEO, Gulf Oil said “This is a very exciting partnership that brings the Gulf brand back into elite motor racing. The history books are full of remarkable tales that tell of what Gulf and McLaren have achieved in the past. Now we are together once more to write the next chapter of this unique partnership. We’re proud to be working alongside a brand that shares our future aspirations and our ambition for innovation both on the road and on the track. We look forward to working together and developing both Gulf and McLaren’s class-leading capabilities further.”
Adding to this Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing said “We’re delighted to welcome Gulf back to McLaren and reunite two iconic brands back together in a new and exciting partnership. Gulf is part of McLaren’s history and is well-known for their innovation and technical excellence in the industry, with which aligns with McLaren perfectly. We are looking forward to starting our partnership together this season.”
There’s nothing more exciting than seeing a legendary combination of Gulf and McLaren join hands once again. The F1 GTR was a formidable car on the track, and the Gulf livery made it all the more recognizable. Having Gulf back in big league racing is one more thing to look forward to for the rest of the season!