McLaren Unveils Heritage British GP Livery Honoring 1966 Debut

McLaren will run a special white and green livery at the British Grand Prix, honoring the M2B that debuted at the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix. The one-off design swaps the team's signature papaya for Bruce McLaren's first Formula 1 colors while carrying Google Gemini branding.

Why it matters:

The livery caps a season of heritage celebrations following McLaren's 1,000th Grand Prix milestone in Monaco. It also shows how the team channels its history into modern commercial partnerships, giving Google a visible platform to highlight how Gemini AI supports creative workflows and trackside strategy at a time when technology firms are deepening their involvement in Formula 1.

The details:

• The white and green scheme mirrors the 1966 M2B, the chassis that carried founder Bruce McLaren into Formula 1. Earlier this year in Monaco, the team marked its 1,000th race start with a demonstration run by Mika Hakkinen in the original car.
• Google Gemini branding features on the car, reflecting a tech partnership that has been active since 2022.
• Heritage and AI: CMO Louise McEwen said the livery celebrates the team's origins and the relentless innovation still defining McLaren, explicitly linking its founding spirit to current AI-driven projects with Google.
• Fan activation: The public can view the car up close at a joint McLaren and Google event at London's Truman Brewery on Thursday ahead of the Silverstone weekend.
• Google VP Marvin Chow noted that McLaren is applying Gemini to creative ideation and real-time trackside intelligence.

What's next:

The livery debuts at Silverstone, one year after Lando Norris won his home race for the Woking squad. While papaya returns for the rest of the season, the one-off scheme serves as a bridge between the team's 1966 roots and its technology-focused future.