McLaren has pulled the wraps off the first one-off Formula 1 livery for the 2024 season. The McLaren F1 car will wear the special livery at the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend. Japanese artist MILTZ has produced the special livery on the two MCL38s piloted by drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
While the McLaren F1 car retains the signature orange shade, the livery changes on the engine cover, side pods and front wing. These parts feature a dragon racing through the clouds, with elements inspired by Japanese calligraphy from the Edo period. McLaren says the livery represents the speed of the Formula 1 car and is part of the Driven by Change campaign, celebrating creatives through the motorsport platform.
Louise McEwen, Chief Marketing Officer, McLaren Racing, said, “We are really excited to bring Driven by Change to Japan for the 2024 iteration of the campaign alongside our partner Vuse. Now in its fourth year, we have seen the successes of the campaign in showcasing the incredible creativity of these talented and undiscovered artists for the world to see on our race cars.”
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Livery artist MILTZ added, “When I first became a freelance artist, I never thought an opportunity like this was possible – this is the biggest international project I have ever done! As I continue to build my profile as an artist, I want my artwork to champion the rich traditions of Japanese writing culture, such as Edomoji, but with a modern twist. From my work with local businesses in Japan to the McLaren Formula 1 team, there are so many beautiful stories to tell through art.”
McLaren has been known for its one-off liveries in the last year with several colour schemes at multiple venues. The F1 car saw a chrome livery at Silverstone paying tribute to its Triple Crown-winning heritage. It also introduced the Drive for Change livery in Abu Dhabi, along with special designs for Las Vegas, Singapore and Japan last year.
The Japanese GP has been special to McLaren since its first double podium finish in 2023. Drivers Norris and Piastri finished second and third respectively last season and the duo will be looking to conclude the upcoming race with similar results. McLaren has also been aggressive since the beginning of the current season, showing immense growth. The team is placed third in the championship standings after three races so far in 2024, behind Red Bull and Ferrari, and narrowly ahead of Mercedes.
