In the high-stakes world of Formula 1, success is measured in milliseconds. Every turn, every pit stop, and every data point processed can make the difference on track. For the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team, that pursuit of performance requires more than just world-class engineering on the car; it requires a digital foundation that is as fast, resilient, and intelligent as the machines they build.

Today, Cisco and McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team are proud to announce the extension of their long-standing partnership, marking a bold new chapter that shifts the focus from connectivity to the transformative power of the AI era.

A Partnership Built on Evolution

The relationship between Cisco and McLaren Racing is a masterclass in technological evolution. What began years ago as a collaboration centered on Webex to power team communication has grown into a comprehensive, cross-portfolio partnership. Over the years, the scope has expanded to include enterprise networking, network security and now, observability – as Splunk’s relationship with McLaren Racing is consolidated under the Cisco umbrella, allowing us to maximize our impact, drive greater brand prominence and utilize our assets most efficiently. This evolution mirrors the trajectory of modern business: moving from simple communication to robust connectivity, and now, to the era of AI-driven observability and predictive action.

“When a championship team like McLaren Mastercard F1 chooses to build their future on the full power of the Cisco portfolio, that validates our unified approach,” Bryan Jones, SVP of Global Revenue, Field and Partner Marketing at Cisco says of the partnership, “Seeing our technology at the heart of their operations – there is no more powerful proof point to demonstrate to our customers that Cisco is the critical infrastructure for the AI era.”

High-Speed AI: From Experimentation to Scale

The start of the next chapter of this partnership kicked off recently with an exclusive event at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking, just ahead of the race weekend at Silverstone.

“High-Speed AI: Executive Conversations,” brought together top Cisco customers, partners, and executives alongside leadership from McLaren Racing and their ecosystem of partners, including Mastercard and Deloitte, to explore the practical realities of moving AI from experimentation to enterprise-scale.

The discussions focused on how in a world that is being continuously reshaped by AI – where a year’s worth of change is now happening in a month – the organizations that win are those who can see through the disruption to the opportunity within. In business as in Formula 1 – speed wins. But speed is only possible with the right underlying infrastructure.

There is plenty more insight to come from that event over the next few weeks!

Strategic Alignment: Where Technology Meets Business

For Cisco, the partnership with McLaren Racing is a strategic alignment that serves as a unique, invaluable platform to engage with our most important customers. In a sport where spending is capped to ensure some degree of competitive balance, the fact that the back-to-back Constructors’ Championship team invests in Cisco technology proves how critical it is to their operations and their success.

By showcasing our technology in one of the most demanding environments imaginable, we demonstrate the reliability and innovation that our customers depend on every day. Whether it’s ensuring secure data transmission at track or providing the observability needed to manage global operations, the F1 environment proves that when the pressure is at its highest, Cisco delivers.

As we look towards the future, it is impossible to predict where the technology world will be one year from now; five years from now; ten years from now. Things have never moved faster. But when McLaren Racing chooses Cisco, they are choosing a technology partner and a technology foundation that lets them be agile and innovate for whatever comes next.