McLaren Racing to Feature Party Brands for Formula 1

On May 23, McLaren Racing officially shows off its new partnership with Entain, more specifically with subsidiaries PartyPoker and PartyCasino. The multiyear deal kicks off with prominent placement of the brand on the McLaren cars and helmets at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Poker brands far too rarely expand beyond the gaming/gambling arena to work with companies that reach out to new audiences. There have been some relationships, though most temporary and far too few since Black Friday in 2011.

PokerStars was historic in its reach to the larger sporting world, having counted many sports stars – Fatima Moreira de Melo, Ronaldo, Orel Hershiser, Boris Becker, and Rafael Nadal, to name a few. And currently, PokerStars is in a new deal with Neymar Jr.

As for automobile racing, PokerStars did have such a partnership back in 2006. In a deal with Aston Martin Racing, PokerStars displayed its logo on Aston Martin racecars in the American Le Mans Series, from the United States to the UK and France. Again, this was pre-Black Friday.

This month, though, Entain announced that its PartyPoker and PartyCasino brands entered a multiyear deal with McLaren Racing.

Big Deal for Big Names

Entain, formerly GVC, and McLaren are two well-known brands in their respective fields. The press release about the partnership notes that both are “technological leaders within their own sectors.” It adds that both are known for “cutting-edge innovation, underpinned by a common approach to safety and responsibility.”

McLaren Racing is delighted to announce a new multi-year partnership with leading sports betting and entertainment group Entain, which will see the group’s @PartyCasino and partypoker brands feature as team partners from the #MonacoGP onwards.

Find out more. ⤵️

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 18, 2021

The agreement is one with the obvious goal of expanding both companies’ reach to new audiences, but it goes further. McLaren will reach potential new fans through branding on PartyPoker and PartyCasino. And the Party brand will reach new audiences through branding at and pertaining to the racing scene, which will begin at the world-renowned Monaco Grand Prix. It will then go beyond to other Formula 1 racing events.

More specifically, the two entities will develop marketing content together, as well as promotions through the Party and McLaren social media channels. They will also host competitions to give fans the opportunity to visit the McLaren Technology Centre in Surrey, which is the headquarters for manufacturing McLaren cars.

The other goal is to find new ways to promote safer and more responsible betting and gaming. Entain wants to tap into McLaren’s perspective regarding staying in control while managing risk.

Monaco Grand Prix 2021

When the McLaren MCL35M racecars race at the Grand Prix in Europe this weekend, the cars’ halos will display the PartyCasino brand logo. Driver Daniel Ricciardo’s helmet will do the same.

Both Formula 1 drivers – Ricciardo and Lando Norris, the latter just signing a new deal with McLaren that extends through 2023 – expressed confidence during practice sessions this week. They both feel good about overcoming challenges and having fun on the track.

Executive Racing Director Andrea Stella commented on the challenging circuit but felt good about crunching time to be ready to race.

The race begins on Sunday, May 23, on the Circuit de Monaco at 8am. ESPN will broadcast the race. There will be 78 laps spanning 260,286 kilometers (approximately 162 miles).

The Monaco Grand Prix winds around the narrow, dangerous, and hilly roads of Monaco. Its history dates back to 1929 and is viewed as one of the most prestigious races in the world. The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it returns this year, albeit with live festivities.

To date, there have been 77 iterations of the race, and McLaren has claimed more wins than any other with 15 prior to 2021.