Is there a better racing livery than blue and orange?
McLaren F1 is getting faster, now getting better funded
One of Motorsport’s iconic pairings is back. Gulf Oil and McLaren have announced a multi-year deal that covers not just the company’s F1 cars, but also their roadgoing supercars.
The blue and orange Gulf Oil livery is one of the most iconic in all of motorsports, and it has been ever since its first appearance (on a Ford GT40) way back in 1967. The oil company has been partnered with McLaren on and off since the late 1960s, with Formula 1 cars, Can-Am cars, and the wonderful McLaren F1 GTR sports racer of the 1990s.
So while it’s always great to see the blue and orange, it’s even more special to see them on a Macca. Especially one on the race track.
The deal makes Gulf the preferred supplier of lubricants to McLaren Automotive, meaning that the company’s road cars will be willed with Gulf Oil oil, and Gulf’s gasoline will be the recommended tipple. McLaren Automotive’s customer events and team wear will also carry the petroleum brand. It’s needed cash for the car company which recently was looking at selling off heritage collection assets or even part of the company itself to weather the pandemic.
L-R – Mike Flewitt – McLaren Automotive CEO, Mike Jones – Gulf Oil International Ltd CEO, Zak Brown – McLaren Racing CEO | Photo: McLaren
Gulf branding will join the F1 team starting with this weekend’s British Grand Prix, with the logo on team gear as well as on the cars. McLaren’s F1 cars are already the right orange, so it should be an easy integration. “This is a very exciting partnership that brings the Gulf brand back into elite motor racing. The history books are full of remarkable tales that tell of what Gulf and McLaren have achieved in the past,” said Gulf Oil CEO Mike Jones.
A limited number of customers will be able to order their cars painted in a livery echoing the F1 GTR’s Gulf graphics, handled by McLaren Special Operations.
To announce the deal, parties from both sides met for a pretty cool photo shoot at what might be the cleanest old gas station in the world. Where you’re fine to fill up your 720S and your bag of snacks, but you probably don’t want to top up that F1 car.
