McLaren Racing Continues Its Partnership With AkzoNobel
The McLaren Racing team will continue to use AkzoNobel as its paints and coatings partner for the 2021 season. This partnership goes a long way back, to 2008. The team’s 2021 contender, the MCL35M, will again feature AkzoNobel’s high-performance coatings.
AkzoNobel, as the Official Paints and Coatings Partner, is providing its Sikkens vehicle refinish products for all painted parts of the MCL35M, as well as for the team’s transport, garage and accessories. Further, the company’s Marine and Protective Coatings business is also supplying Intertherm 50 heat-shielding from its International product range for critical components surrounding the engine and exhaust. The MCL35M is running the Mercedes engine this season, switching from Renault.
“A partnership that has spanned over a decade, AkzoNobel’s passion to continue to explore and innovate aligns directly with our team. We are delighted to continue our partnership and the development of outstanding innovation through AkzoNobel’s paints and coatings products to help further our race cars’ performance on the track,” said Mark Waller, Chief Commercial Officer, McLaren Racing.
“We’re very proud to extend our successful partnership with McLaren Racing, which is driven by collaboration, innovation and the pursuit of high performance,” said Patrick Bourguignon, Director of AkzoNobel’s Automotive and Specialty Coatings business. “The McLaren F1 team’s spirit and dedication to success inspires us in our endeavor to continue delivering the best products and services to all our customers.”
Scientists and technicians at McLaren Racing and AkzoNobel have been working together for more than a decade, with the partnership having been extended in 2012 to include McLaren Automotive. As well as helping to accelerate innovation in coatings technology and color development, the collaboration has also paved the way for future exploration of new opportunities.
“We’re all extremely enthusiastic to see our Sikkens and International coatings in action on the MCL35M this season and can’t wait for the scheduled return of F1 racing to the Netherlands in September,” added Bourguignon.
McLaren finished a well deserved third place in the Constructor’s Championship for the 2020 season, signalling its comeback as podium contenders. This year, besides the new engine, the team will have a new driver in Daniel Ricciardo, who will partner Lando Norris. Daniel finished fifth in the 2020 driver standings, while Lando was ninth.
The 2021 Formula 1 season will start this weekend in Bahrain (26 – 28 March).
