McLaren has announced a long-term partnership deal with British American Tobacco (BAT), who previously owned the British American Racing team that competed in Formula 1 from 1999 to 2005.
Tobacco advertising has been banned from F1 since 2006, however, McLaren says that the new relationship would focus on BAT’s “transforming agenda”.
The statement from McLaren added that it would also be “leveraging its portfolio of potentially reduced risk products”, and aim to “deliver the world’s tobacco and nicotine consumers a better tomorrow.” McLaren Applied Technologies will work with BAT on areas including battery technology and advanced materials.
“We welcome BAT to the McLaren team and support their ambition of delivering meaningful and lasting change through innovation,” said McLaren CEO Zak Brown.