Intel and McLaren Forge Long-Term Strategic Partnership to Elevate AI-Driven Performance in F1, Indy, and Simulation Racing
May 14, 2026 — Intel Corporation and the McLaren Racing team today announced a multi-year strategic partnership, naming Intel the official computing partner for the McLaren Mastercard F1 Team, Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team, and McLaren F1 Simulator Team. This collaboration combines the strengths of two performance-driven leaders: Intel’s semiconductor and platform engineering expertise and McLaren’s racing legacy and track experience.
Under the agreement, Intel® Xeon® and Intel® Core™ high-performance processors will power McLaren’s most demanding workloads, including computational fluid dynamics, aerodynamic simulations, vehicle dynamics modeling, race strategy analysis, and real-time decision-making systems connecting McLaren’s Woking Technical Center with every pit stop across the global racing calendar.
Formula 1 and IndyCar racing generate massive data streams—from telemetry and simulations to live race strategies—where milliseconds can determine outcomes. Intel’s secure, scalable computing infrastructure enables McLaren to transform this data into actionable insights. The infrastructure integrates high-performance CPUs to support AI-driven workloads, low-latency edge computing, and diverse software platforms.
“Formula 1 and IndyCar racing represent the ultimate high-performance computing challenge,” said Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger. “We’re honored to join McLaren as their computing partner, translating data into a competitive advantage across every aspect of their operations.”
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown added: “Performance in IndyCar and Formula 1 depends on cutting-edge technology. Collaborating with Intel strengthens our capacity for large-scale innovation. Intel has been a core part of our technology ecosystem, and their computing leadership will be critical to how we design, build, and race our cars. We are excited to deepen this partnership.”
The collaboration reflects a broader trend in motorsport, where integrated technology partnerships—from factory to track—are a key competitive advantage, delivering faster insights and improved performance.
Boosting Performance Through AI and Advanced Computing
Intel technology will be deployed across McLaren’s technical operations to enable:
• Edge computing at the track for real-time analytics and race-day decisions
• Advanced computational support for simulation, aerodynamics, and digital twin modeling
• AI-driven platforms to accelerate design cycles and predictive modeling
Both companies will co-develop solutions aimed at enhancing performance, efficiency, and sustainability.
As part of the partnership, Intel branding will appear on the McLaren Mastercard F1 Team’s cars starting at the Montreal Grand Prix. Intel logos will also be featured on Arrow McLaren IndyCars at this year’s Freedom 250 in Washington, D.C., and the 2027 Indianapolis 500. Next season, Intel branding will appear on McLaren F1 Simulator Team’s virtual cars and on-site simulators.
Shared Vision for Innovation
Intel and McLaren share a commitment to pushing the limits of technology, leveraging advanced computing, AI, and engineering to solve complex challenges quickly. From the factory floor to the racetrack, the partnership emphasizes translating cutting-edge CPU technology into a tangible competitive advantage.