McLaren and Deloitte’s ‘Quest’ Is About More Than Speed

Bigger and bolder moves mark the next chapter of McLaren and Deloitte's partnership in a new campaign revealing a relationship that runs deeper than branding. It sits at the core of how McLaren operates and performs across Formula 1, IndyCar, and beyond.

McLaren Racing and Deloitte Still | Courtesy of Deloitte

Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, opens the Deloitte commercial with a line that sets the tone: "McLaren Racing wins the Triple Crown. Again. That is the quest we're on."

It's a statement rooted in legacy, after all, as McLaren Racing is the only motorsport team to have achieved the unofficial Triple Crown of the Indianapolis 500 (1974), Monaco Grand Prix (1984), and 24 Hours of Le Mans (1985). More importantly, though, it defines the exact quest that this current McLaren Racing Organization is on.

That pursuit is no longer defined by what happens on track alone. In partnership with Deloitte, McLaren Racing is connecting people, data, and technology to drive performance at every level of the organization and across every avenue of motorsport.

Anatomy of a Modern Racing Partnership

The difference between a sponsor and a partner in modern motorsport is no longer a subtle branding shift or well-placed product in an image. Partners show up in how teams operate, how decisions are made, how performance is delivered, and ultimately in both wins and losses.

For McLaren Racing, its relationship with Deloitte has evolved into something far more embedded than traditional sponsorship. Although the brands have worked together since 2017, that relationship expanded across their full racing portfolio earlier this year.

"Deloitte has been a hugely valued partner for many years. Their expertise in data, technology, and transformation has played a meaningful role in our return to the front of the grid, and I’m delighted to expand the partnership across our other racing series, where Deloitte’s support will continue to help us accelerate innovation throughout the organization.”

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing

Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard (7) during free practice at Long Beach Street Circuit. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

That expansion now spans McLaren’s global racing portfolio, including the Arrow McLaren program in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and support for the team’s planned 2027 entry into the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The move reflects a broader shift in how top teams no longer approach sponsors as branding exercises – funding changing hands for a shiny logo or an ad slot – but, instead, as integrated systems.

'Quest' and the Story Behind It

At the center of this next chapter is Quest, a campaign designed to reflect the reality of the McLaren and Deloitte Partnership itself.

Directed by Wally Pfister, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind Inception and known for his work on The Dark Knight trilogy, the ad spot blends McLaren’s racing legacy with scenes inside the McLaren Technology Center.

The result is a visual narrative that mirrors the way that the team operates and a bold statement of intent from Zak Brown about their united goal alongside Deloitte. To achieve the Triple Crown, again.

"This isn’t a logo-on-a-car story. It’s a performance story. Deloitte and McLaren Racing are working side by side to connect teams, technology, and decision-making in ways that matter when the pressure is highest.”

Scott Mager, U.S. CMO, Deloitte

Mager added that the Deloitte team feels less like a 'sponsor' and more like a 'teammate' with McLaren Racing. Which, according to Brown, is exactly the kind of partner they need in this new era for the team.

Turning Data into Decisions and Scaling Across Motorsport

It's rare in our current era of motorsport for a racing outfit to find a partner whose investment and involvement spans the totality of the series that they race in. As McLaren Racing expands its presence across F1, IndyCar, and WEC, though, the necessity for that continuity in systems increases exponentially.

Races are often decided by fractions of a second, and the margin isn’t always found in outright speed. It’s found in how quickly and accurately teams can make decisions when variables shift.

Mclaren F1 Car | IMAGO / NurPhoto

That’s where the first piece of Deloitte’s work becomes tangible. Through digital twin simulation technology, McLaren Racing can run tens of thousands of race scenarios per second, translating data into real-time strategy when conditions change.

That same philosophy extends beyond the pit wall. Deloitte also supported the implementation of a cloud-based HR and finance platform across McLaren Racing, aligning operational precision off the track with the standards expected on it.

The work didn't stop there; Deloitte UK and McLaren Racing also collaborated on circularity measurement work tied to Formula 1 sustainability efforts that became the standard across all Formula 1 Teams.

McLaren Racing and Deloitte Still | Courtesy of Deloitte

That same mindset now has to scale across an even more complex landscape – F1, IndyCar and WEC. Different formats, different regulations, different strategic demands.

The goal remains consistent: Build a system that works seamlessly across teams, and who better to accomplish that with than a company known for accomplishing these exact tasks and ready to take on the challenge beside you, Deloitte.

"What stands out in our work with McLaren Racing is the trust and shared ambition behind it. Both teams want to build, improve, and keep pushing."

Scott Mager, U.S. CMO, Deloitte

That ambition ties directly back to the idea of the Quest. Not just chasing another milestone, but defining and transforming how that pursuit is actually achieved.

For McLaren Racing, the path back to the Triple Crown isn’t just about speed. It's about who races beside them.