McLaren, the incumbent champions of motor racing’s top-tier Formula 1 (F1) series, have announced German sportswear giants Puma as their new technical sponsor ahead of the 2026 season.
Puma becomes McLaren’s official F1 team apparel and sportswear partner, replacing UK brand Castore, which has held the designation since the 2022 F1 season, in a deal worth a reported £30 million ($40.41 million) per year.
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The deal will see Puma produce the kit for the F1 team, as well as McLaren’s other racing outfits, including its IndyCar team, its two entries in the all-female F1 Academy, its Sim Racing virtual team, and, from 2027, its World Endurance Hypercar team.
McLaren chief executive Zak Brown said: “Our sport is in incredible shape and it’s been fantastic to see an influx of major fashion and lifestyle brands who are looking for deep and meaningful ways to engage with our growing global fanbase.
“We know fans want to express their passion for our sport both at and away from track, and PUMA’s innovative approach to design and culture will offer exciting collections and experiences worldwide.”
As part of the partnership, Puma will create a lifestyle collection as well as a replica collection, which will mirror what is being worn by the team, for fans to purchase.
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By GlobalDataMcLaren joins fellow F1 teams in securing Puma as a commercial partner, with the sportswear brand already partnering Ferrari and Aston Martin, as well as F1 itself, which uses the brand as its technical supplier.
The Williams F1 team had a partnership with Puma but switched to New Era ahead of the upcoming campaign, while the brand lost out to Adidas for a deal with Audi for its inaugural season.
Puma chief executive Arthur Höeld said: “At Puma, we are very proud of our long and successful history in motorsports and having worked with some of the greatest drivers and teams in the industry over the past decades.
“We are looking forward to many successful races together and engaging with the team’s passionate fans around the world to create inspiring collections for them that show the best both brands have to offer.”
McLaren F1 have won the past two editions of the F1 constructors' championship, while last year driver Lando Norris won McLaren's first drivers' championship since 2008.
In terms of major sponsors for McLaren F1, Mastercard will become the team's naming partner at the start of the 2026 season, while the team most recently extended and expanded its commercial tie-up with professional services firm Deloitte.
This year’s McLaren F1 car is due to be launched on February 9, with testing for the new F1 season scheduled to start in Bahrain on February 12. The first grand prix for the 2026 season is set to take place in Australia on March 8.
Meanwhile, the upcoming Audi F1 team has added Italian leather goods brand Piquadro as its official luxury luggage partner ahead of its inaugural season.
Under the agreement, Piquadro will supply the team will a range of luxury travel and business luggage to support the travel demands of the global F1 calendar.
Specifically, team personnel will be equipped with premium cabin and checked luggage, business backpacks, and travel accessories to be used across race weekends, factory operations, and international travel throughout the season.
As part of the partnership, Piquadro will gain a brand presence across selected team environments, content initiatives, and corporate hospitality settings.
Audi F1 has brought several partners on board ahead of its debut season, most notably international banking and payments startup Revolut, which will act as title sponsor from the 2026 season, gaining top-line branding over the entire team.
Additional sponsors include the major German sportswear brand Adidas, oil and gas giants BP and Castrol, the Visit Qatar tourism body, the travel and spend management platform Perk, and the tech company NinjaOne.
The team’s commercial partnership operations are being managed by the premium experiences and retail agency Legends, which is expanding Audi’s portfolio.
Audi will debut in the 2026 F1 campaign, replacing the Sauber team.
