The 2026 F1 season is shaping up to be a massive one, with new teams, new regulations, and new sponsorships. Google’s partnership with McLaren F1 is still going strong, and this season’s ads are plastered all over the latest livery reveal.
Google joined up with McLaren F1 in 2022, debuting a new sponsorship that resulted in one of the most unique decals in the series. The Chrome logo was added to the wheels, while the Android logo found itself along the airbox sides.
This year, the Google Gemini logo is seen on the Formula 1 team’s 2026 livery in the latest reveal of the new MCL40. Two images posted by the team show off plenty of little Gemini stars along the car’s nose and to each side of the driver, though none of the shots give a good look at the main Gemini marking along the airbox.
That specific spot does have a Gemini logo, as seen in the team’s testing livery just two days prior. Still, the new images paint a picture of what the car should look like on the track, where Gemini, Android, and Chrome get shoutouts through livery and fire suit. The MCL40 also brings back the Chrome wheels, though there was little doubt that it was phased out.
This livery may not be the final design before the season actually starts up, but the sponsorship load will likely remain the same. If not, very similar.
It was announced that Google would continue to be a major sponsor for the winning team late last year. The team announced that Gemini would be one of the main flavors added to the mix, noting that the AI model would be used to “unlock new levels of performance and creative design.” How much impact that can have on a heavily regulated F1 team remains to be seen, though.
Gemini got a spot on the McLaren car during the Mexico City Grand Prix, though this livery dons the team’s new design as it enters a new and complicated season. New regulations mean the cars for each team are designed differently, with more aggressive features like “boost mode” and a powerful new hybrid engine. The series is even switching to a new biofuel, which should yield incredibly interesting results.
The 2026 Formula 1 season will begin on February 11. Races will air on Apple TV instead of ESPN, in a move that means YouTube TV will no longer be an option for viewers.
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