McLaren has unveiled a new brand identity that will span its Formula 1, IndyCar and World Endurance Championship programmes, bringing McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive together under a more unified visual language. At the heart of the redesign is a new McLaren wordmark inspired by the sign that once stood above the family service station run by Bruce McLaren’s parents in Auckland, New Zealand.
The British marque has deliberately looked to its past while preparing for its next phase of growth. The familiar Speedmark, papaya colour and Speedy Kiwi all remain part of the identity, but McLaren believes the refreshed look creates a clearer connection between its history, its current racing programmes and its future ambitions.
McLaren unveils new logo across F1, IndyCar and WEC
McLaren’s evolved identity has been designed to unite the past, present and future of both McLaren Automotive and McLaren Racing in one consistent expression. The company says the new direction remains rooted in founder Bruce McLaren’s vision and relentless ambition while reflecting the broader community it is building around customers, employees, fans and partners.
For more than 60 years, McLaren has defined itself around the belief that there is always a way to go further. From breakthroughs in competition to road-car innovation beginning with the McLaren F1, that philosophy has shaped each era of the marque.
The new identity is intended to carry the same mindset forward while giving McLaren a clearer and more coherent appearance as it expands its racing activities, customer experiences and personalisation programmes.
For Formula 1 followers, the change arrives during another important period for McLaren’s racing operation, which now sits at the centre of programmes spanning F1, IndyCar and the marque’s forthcoming return to the top class of endurance racing.
New McLaren logo inspired by Bruce McLaren’s family service station
McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive began the project by exploring their shared archives, studying the symbols, stories and design details that have defined the company from Bruce McLaren’s early years in New Zealand through to the global brand of today.
The most important element is the new McLaren wordmark, which takes its inspiration from the sign above the McLaren family service station in Remuera, Auckland.
The business belonged to Bruce McLaren’s parents, Les and Ruth McLaren, and it was there that the future Formula 1 driver, team founder and constructor built the car that would take him to his first racing victory.
By reworking that identity for the modern era, McLaren has deliberately reconnected the company with its earliest origins while creating what it sees as a confident visual language for the future.
Speedmark, papaya and Speedy Kiwi remain part of McLaren identity
Not everything has changed. The Speedmark, one of the most recognisable symbols associated with McLaren, remains central to the brand. Its retention reflects the importance of continuity and the symbol’s long-standing connection with supporters around the world.
Papaya also remains a defining McLaren colour, although it is now accompanied by an expanded palette inspired by key moments in the company’s history.
The refreshed identity also retains the Speedy Kiwi, honouring Bruce McLaren’s New Zealand heritage and the emblem’s long-standing place in the history of the team.
The broader aim is to extend what it means to belong to the McLaren community beyond racing success and high-performance road cars, with greater emphasis on personalisation, experiences and fan engagement.
McLaren links new identity to major 2026 milestones
The rebrand follows a series of important moments during 2026 that have placed greater emphasis on McLaren’s origins and the ideas that continue to influence its future.
That has included renewed attention on Bruce McLaren’s history, from celebrating the M6GT as an early expression of his vision for road cars to the unveiling of the McL 6GT as a modern statement of McLaren’s ambitions in design and performance.
The same historical theme has extended into McLaren Racing’s current papaya era. The organisation celebrated its 1,000th Formula 1 Grand Prix during 2026 and also announced its Hypercar project for the World Endurance Championship.
The latter will return McLaren to the highest level of endurance racing and put the company back in pursuit of motorsport’s unofficial Triple Crown: victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
McLaren Automotive plans £500m investment and performance SUV
McLaren Automotive has also confirmed plans to expand its manufacturing and engineering presence in the United Kingdom through a £500 million investment programme.
The initiative is intended to support the next phase of McLaren’s long-term growth and includes an expansion beyond its traditional two-seat supercars, with a high-performance SUV planned as part of the future product range.
Taken together, the racing milestones, road-car expansion and visual rebrand form part of a wider attempt to reconnect McLaren with the values, spirit and pioneering mentality that have defined the company from its earliest years.
David Woodhouse: new identity starts another McLaren chapter
David Woodhouse, Chief Creative Officer at McLaren Automotive, believes the new visual identity reflects both the company’s heritage and the direction it now wants to take.
“There is something uniquely special about McLaren. Throughout our history, we’ve never been content to follow established paths. We’ve always looked ahead, driven by a restless desire to innovate, create and push beyond expectations.”
“This evolution of our visual identity captures that spirit. It’s a reflection of the journey we are on as a company. It marks the beginning of a new chapter for McLaren, giving a physical expression to the ambition, creativity and forward momentum that is shaping our future.”
McLaren Racing says new logo bridges heritage and future ambitions
Lou McEwen, Chief Marketing Officer at McLaren Racing, similarly highlighted how much of Bruce McLaren’s original philosophy remains visible inside the organisation despite its transformation into a global motorsport brand.
“McLaren has evolved enormously over the years, but looking back through our shared history across Racing and Automotive, it’s poignant how much of Bruce’s original vision and spirit still runs through the business today.”
“This evolved identity perfectly bridges that proud heritage with our future ambition. It celebrates the symbols and stories our fans, partners and team mates already know and love, while giving us a more connected expression of where we’re heading next. It feels unmistakeably McLaren.”
The result is a visual identity designed to work across a far broader McLaren ecosystem than Formula 1 alone. With IndyCar already established and its WEC Hypercar programme expanding the racing portfolio, the company is using one of the simplest elements of its image — its logo — to reconnect a rapidly growing modern organisation with the small Auckland service station where the McLaren story began.
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