McLaren agrees F1 deal that lures Monster Energy from Mercedes

Monster Energy has partnered with McLaren on what is described as a “multi-year” contract, which will lead to the recognisable ‘M’ logo featuring on the helmets, race suits, caps and drinks bottles (branded in the past by Coca-Cola) of drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from the 2024 season.

While McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has used his vast experience in the commercial and marketing sectors to bring on board an array of high-profile sponsors such as Google, Dell and British American Tobacco (Velo) – moves helped by the Netflix-led popularity boom for F1 – signing with Monster is made more significant since it draws the energy drink company away from rival team Mercedes.

Throughout the Three-Pointed Star’s run of eight constructors’ championship and more recent ground-effects struggles, the ‘M’ badge has featured on the helmet and race suit collar of Lewis Hamilton and team-mates Nico Rosberg and George Russell.

Hamilton does have his own personal sponsorship deal with Monster, the seven-time champion lending his name to a range of zero-sugar drinks. This tie-up is expected to continue despite the partnership with Mercedes coming to an end.

Rodney Sacks, chair and co-CEO of Monster Energy Company, said: “We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the Mercedes Formula 1 team, and [motorsport boss] Toto Wolf in particular, for a partnership that has spanned well over a decade and seen us celebrate some wonderful success together. We wish the team well for their upcoming championship campaigns.”

“Monster Energy is proud to start this new chapter in its F1 journey with McLaren Racing. Monster is focused on enhancing fan experiences and partnering with a world-class team and its elite drivers to share our passion with F1’s global audience. We are planning some really exciting programs with Lando and Oscar and are excited to go racing together from 2024.”

Brown added: “We are delighted to join forces with the iconic Monster Energy brand from next season onwards. Monster focuses on celebrating athletes through bold ideas and creating awesome content, so we can’t wait to explore ideas and find new ways to engage and entertain our fans.”