McLaren Mastercard F1 Team Announces Airwallex as Official AI Financial Partner

The McLaren Mastercard F1 Team announced on October 21, 2026, that Airwallex will become its official AI financial partner starting January 2027, continuing a long-standing partnership.

Deepening the Partnership

Since 2024, the McLaren team has established a technology partnership with Airwallex, and this extension will further strengthen their collaboration. Under the agreement, Airwallex's logo will be added to the sleeve of the McLaren Mastercard F1 Team uniforms and will continue to be displayed on the Halo head protection devices of both F1 cars and the drivers' race suits.

Driving Technological Innovation

Airwallex recently completed a US$320 million Series H funding round in June, achieving a valuation of US$11 billion. The new funds will be used to accelerate the development of next-generation AI-driven financial software, including the AI-native financial platform T:0, which provides end-to-end financial capabilities for businesses, and the upcoming agent-based consumer e-wallet Airi.

McLaren's Chief Financial Officer Laura Bowden stated, "Our close collaboration with Airwallex reflects our commitment to advancing the speed and efficiency of technology. We firmly believe that Airwallex, as our first official AI financial partner, will help us manage our financial operations faster and more efficiently."

Airwallex's Chief Financial Officer Pranav Sood noted that F1 racing emphasizes gaining an edge in every detail, which is why they are partnering with the McLaren team. He pointed out that over the past three seasons, both parties have demonstrated how smarter financial infrastructure and AI-native technology can help global businesses enhance operational speed and control over cross-border operations.

Future Outlook

Airwallex will continue to provide relevant technology to support McLaren's digital partner merchandise platform, allowing customers to pay through various global and local payment methods. The collaboration between the two is not limited to the racetrack but will also play a role in global financial operations.

According to Nielsen data, the television viewership for the last F1 season reached a five-year high, with a cumulative audience of 1.83 billion, an increase of nearly 7% compared to 2024. This data highlights the influence of F1 racing and Airwallex's ongoing expansion in the global sports arena.

For more information about Airwallex, please visit the official Airwallex website.