By Timothy S. Donahue
Top Takeaways:
- VELO made its first high-profile appearance on McLaren’s Formula 1 livery at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
- BAT continues using global motorsport as a visibility platform for its smoke-free nicotine portfolio.
- The partnership reinforces the industry shift toward promoting oral nicotine as a cigarette alternative for adults.
The 2025 season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marked a historic moment for the McLaren Formula 1 Team when driver Lando Norris won his first Drivers’ Championship, driving the MCL39 with a fan-designed livery developed through the “Live Your Fandom” campaign.
Launched by VELO, the global nicotine pouch brand owned by British American Tobacco (BAT), the special livery was designed by nine superfans whose sketches and memories were turned into custom branding icons representing community, heritage, and team milestones, such as “Papaya Family,” “Back-to-Back Constructors’ Champions,” and “200 Race Wins.”
“This co-created design is a powerful statement of how deeply fans are integrated into the team’s journey,” said Luca Angiolillo, Global Head of Partnerships at BAT. “VELO believes in championing authentic self-expression, and what better way than to literally put the passion of the McLaren Formula 1 Team global fanbase onto the MCL39.”
McLaren Racing’s Chief Marketing Officer echoed the sentiment: “Our fans are at the heart of everything we do, and this special livery is another way of showing our appreciation.”
The strategy appears to have paid off. For Norris — now Britain’s 11th world champion and the first McLaren winner since 2008 — the victory carried deep personal importance. “This is not my World Championship, this is ours,” he said after the race, acknowledging fans, family, and the broader team in his triumph.
The livery, debuted at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, marks the culmination of a season in which McLaren also secured the Constructors’ Championship for the second year in a row, reaffirming the team’s comeback in performance.
For the nicotine pouch industry and stakeholders, the VELO-McLaren collaboration demonstrates how modern nicotine brands are using global sports sponsorships to increase visibility — especially as alternative nicotine products (pouches instead of cigarettes) become more popular. Recently, Scuderia Ferrari HP, the Ferrari Formula 1 team, extended its long-standing partnership with Philip Morris International.
