Airwallex and McLaren Racing pen multi-year partnership
Airwallex, a leading global payments and financial platform for modern businesses, today announced a multi-year partnership with the McLaren Formula 1 team, one of the sport’s most iconic brands. As an Official Partner, Airwallex will support McLaren’s global financial operations through its treasury management and cross-border pay-outs and settlement product suite. This partnership between Airwallex and McLaren will help ignite the fintech giant’s growth trajectory as it continues to scale globally.
Specifically, McLaren will use Airwallex to optimise its supply chain payments for all Grands Prix. McLaren’s existing payments infrastructure limits payment to suppliers, such as hotel and event space providers, to a singular currency account based in the UK, resulting in high foreign exchange (FX) charges, slow transfer time and additional SWIFT fees.
Airwallex’s financial technology will unlock multi-currency payment options for McLaren, providing the company the ability to hold core currencies and exchange them with speed and ease at any point while reducing the amount of SWIFT fees that may be payable by leveraging Airwallex's extensive global proprietary payment rail network.
As part of this partnership, Airwallex will also provide technology to support the launch and ongoing operation of McLaren’s digital partner merchandise platform - further enhancing their multi-currency collection capabilities and allowing them to offer a broad range of global and local payment options.
Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said “In the competitive world of Formula 1, efficiency and performance are crucial both on and off the track. We are delighted to have Airwallex on board and use their innovative and trusted payment solutions to support our team’s financial operations.”
Jack Zhang, CEO and Co-Founder of Airwallex, said “There are very few brands that match McLaren’s heritage and global appeal. Like McLaren, Airwallex is constantly innovating to move faster and with greater precision – with a product that unites people around the world. Our partnership will play a key role in supporting our global expansion, and we look forward to working with the McLaren team in 2024 and beyond to support our mutual growth.”
Alongside the product integration, Airwallex will become a partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team, with the Airwallex logo prominently displayed on the halo of the McLaren MCL38, on driver Lando Norris’ and Oscar Piastri’s overalls including the pit crew, as well as across other McLaren official branded material.
A truly global sporting event with races held in 24 cities, Formula 1’s multi-market reach and impact are unrivalled. It has a global viewership of 1.5 billion annually. Airwallex’s partnership with the McLaren Formula 1 team, a prominent and much-loved brand, aligns with its global ambitions to be the financial platform of choice for innovative businesses across the world.
About Airwallex
Airwallex is a leading global financial platform for modern businesses, offering trusted solutions to manage everything from payments, treasury, and spend management to embedded finance. With our proprietary infrastructure, Airwallex takes the friction out of global payments and financial operations, empowering businesses of all sizes to unlock new opportunities and grow beyond borders. Proudly founded in Melbourne, Airwallex supports over 100,000 businesses globally and is trusted by brands such as Brex, Rippling, Navan, Qantas, SHEIN and many more. For more information, visit http://www.airwallex.com.
About McLaren Racing
McLaren Racing was founded by racing driver Bruce McLaren in 1963. The team entered its first Formula 1 race in 1966. McLaren has since won 20 Formula 1 world championships, 183 Formula 1 grands prix, the Indianapolis 500 three times, and the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first attempt.
McLaren Racing competes across five racing series. The team competes in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship with McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with Arrow McLaren drivers Pato O’Ward, Alexander Rossi and David Malukas, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with NEOM McLaren Formula E Team drivers Jake Hughes and Sam Bird, and the Extreme E Championship as the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team. The team also competes in the F1 Sim Racing Championship as McLaren Shadow, having won the 2022 Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships.
McLaren is a champion for sustainability in the sport and a signatory to the UN Sports for Climate Action Commitment. It is committed to achieving net zero by 2040 and fostering a diverse and inclusive culture in the motorsport industry.
