McLaren unveils M2B tribute livery for British GP at Silverstone
NXTbets Pro | Published On: June 30, 2026
McLaren heritage livery
McLaren unveiled a special heritage-inspired livery for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, and the design pulls the team away from its familiar papaya look and into a mostly white scheme with green details. A green stripe runs down the middle of the car, giving the livery a clear link to McLaren’s early history and a visual break from the color identity that has defined the team in recent seasons.
The move gives McLaren a second special livery this year. Earlier in the season, the team marked its 1,000th Grand Prix in Monaco with an orange-and-black design, showing that the team is using milestone races to connect its modern Formula 1 program with its past. This latest tribute carries a different message. It looks back to the era when McLaren was building its place in the sport and uses the British Grand Prix as the stage for that nod to the company’s origins. McLaren also arrived at Silverstone as the defending race winner after Lando Norris finished ahead of Oscar Piastri in last year’s one-two, adding another layer of relevance to the weekend for the team and its drivers.
McLaren M2B tribute
The new livery pays tribute to the McLaren M2B, the team’s first Formula 1 car, and marks the 60th anniversary of McLaren’s debut season in 1966. The design also reaches back to one of the key moments in that first year, McLaren’s first championship point at the British Grand Prix when Bruce McLaren drove the M2B. That history sits at the center of the look. The white bodywork and green stripe do more than reference old colors. They point directly to the first chapter of McLaren’s Formula 1 story and to the founder whose name remains tied to the team.
The tribute also connects to Bruce McLaren in a broader sense, giving the team a way to honor the man who founded it while it continues to race at the front of Formula 1. McLaren has built a modern identity around performance, commercial growth and a strong visual brand, but this livery returns the focus to its roots. It uses a heritage package to underline how far the team has come since 1966 and to mark a milestone year in a form fans can see on track at Silverstone. The timing gives the British Grand Prix added significance for McLaren, which can frame the weekend not just as another race but as a reminder of where the organization started and how it has evolved since its first season.
McLaren Gemini activation
McLaren tied the livery to its partnership with Google Gemini and to a message about innovation, with chief marketing officer Louise McEwen saying the design celebrates the team’s roots while reflecting that relationship. The partnership between McLaren and Google began in 2022, and the team used the unveiling to show how its heritage and technology links can sit side by side. The visual identity may draw on the past, but the rollout also points to the way McLaren presents itself now, through major brand partnerships and coordinated activations that extend beyond the garage and the paddock.
Norris and Piastri were set to wear white race suits during the weekend to match the commemorative car, keeping the tribute consistent across the team’s on-track image. Fans were also set to see the livery at a joint McLaren-Gemini activation at the Truman Brewery in East London on Thursday, giving supporters a chance to view the design away from Silverstone and closer to the marketing side of the launch. The combination of the livery, the race suits and the London activation turns the tribute into a broader presentation of the team’s history. McLaren uses the British Grand Prix to salute the M2B, Bruce McLaren and the 1966 season, while also reinforcing the brand partnerships that help shape its modern Formula 1 identity.
