Intel has returned to F1 with a new partnership with McLaren. The chip company is providing Xeon and Core Ultra chips to the team in exchange for a decal on the side of the car that won both the Drivers and Constructors championship in 2025.
Intel says its chips will be provided for computational fluid dynamics, aerodynamic analysis, vehicle-dynamics simulation, and real-time decision systems, and race strategy analytics. So, all the important stuff, then. F1 teams are data companies these days, so a major technical partner is a must-have to do much on the track.
We have the usual press release comment from both companies’ top brass. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said:
“Formula 1 racing and IndyCar are some of the ultimate proving grounds for high-performance computing. Intel is proud to be McLaren Racing’s compute partner, and to be part of a team that thrives on precision, speed, and innovation. Together, Intel and McLaren will push the boundaries of what’s possible, transforming data into competitive advantage at every turn.”
And Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO, says:
“Performance in IndyCar and Formula 1 racing is driven by technology, and partnering with Intel strengthens our ability to innovate at scale. Intel has already been an important part of our technology ecosystem, and their leadership in computing will play a critical role in how we design, build, and race our cars. We’re excited to deepen this relationship even further.”
Pretty standard word salad. But it is an interesting move from Intel, which has been going through a tough time in recent years. It has more recently has found some success with some products, such as Panther Lake, and investment from the US government and Nvidia with increased interest in US-made chips, which few others can provide. But otherwise it’s still on a path to reclaiming its lost leadership position. Perhaps getting back into F1 is a sign of confidence from the company, even if it’s still not the money-making machine it once was, or a plan to be seen to be confident again.
The company has previously dabbled in F1 sponsorship, with a big badge slapped on the side of the BMW Sauber team in the early 2000s. This new McLaren sponsorship will also extend to its IndyCar team and its sim racing team in the future.
McLaren also has an ongoing partnership with Google, which is now tipped to be all about AI, because of course it is.