The Mercedes Formula 1 (F1) motor racing team has unveiled two major new partnerships to bolster its commercial portfolio ahead of the 2026 season.
The UK-based outfit has agreed multi-year deals with technology giant Microsoft and digital financial services platform Nu.
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As part of the Microsoft deal, the US company’s logo will be displayed on the airbox and the front wing endplates of the newly revealed Mercedes W17 F1 car, as well as the drivers’ overalls.
The partnership will also have a technical scope, with the F1 team to use the company’s cloud and enterprise AI technologies for its operations.
This includes the Microsoft Azure AI tool, which will be utilized to support Mercedes F1’s computing and data capabilities, both at the factory and trackside, “with scalable cloud and AI resources supporting simulation workloads, performance analysis, race strategy modelling, and cross-team analytics.”
Microsoft 365 and GitHub are already used by Mercedes for its engineering and operational workflows across its headquarters in Brackley and Brixworth, as well as trackside in the paddock.
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By GlobalDataBuilding on this, the team will expand its use of Microsoft 365 to “unlock new levels of agility, accelerate innovation and enhance operational efficiency across the business.”
The team’s engineering, simulation, and software development groups will also deepen their integration of GitHub to “modernize and accelerate development workflows enabling greater consistency, speed, and efficiency.”
Richard Sanders, chief commercial officer of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, said: “Microsoft’s technology already plays a central role in how we operate as a business, and this partnership opens new opportunities to innovate as we look toward to the next era of technological development. I look forward to seeing how our teams collaborate to unlock new ways of working across the organization.”
Microsoft was a long-time partner of the Alpine F1 team, which it first sponsored in 2012 when the outfit was named Lotus, but has now switched allegiances as its Alpine deal ended following the 2025 campaign.
The tech heavyweight will serve as a principal partner of Mercedes, the second tier of the team’s sponsorship category, alongside petrochemicals giant Ineos.
They both sit below the team’s title partner, Petronas.
Nu, meanwhile, has come on board as a third-tier official team partner and will receive on-track and off-track branding and activations.
The company's branding will also feature on the new Mercedes race car and the drivers’ overalls.
The platform is seeking to use the partnership to grow its footprint in key strategic markets, including Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia.
Nu becomes the 21st team partner for Mercedes, joining the likes of Adidas, Snapdragon, TeamViewer, UBS, WhatsApp, Meta AI, SAP, Marriott Bonvoy, and Nasdaq.
Cristina Junqueira, co-Founder, chief growth officer, and CEO of Nu's emerging US business, said: “This partnership gives us a powerful opportunity to connect with hundreds of millions of fans in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, the United States, and beyond.
"We are looking forward to joining forces with the Mercedes F1 team to leverage Nu's customer-centricity, technology platform, and innovation to deliver premium access and incredible digital experiences that bring fans closer to the action. Building a global brand is a multi-year journey, and there is much more to come.”
In terms of recent commercial activity, Mercedes signed up global food and beverage giant PepsiCo as a new global partner last month.
