Open-wheel racing’s iconic Formula 1 (F1) series has announced a new partnership with Arcos Dorados, the Latin American operator of global fast food giant McDonald’s.
The multi-year partnership will see McDonald’s branding present around F1 race days throughout the season, on virtual on-track signage wherein advertisements are altered depending on broadcast region, with McDonald's branding to be used specifically for Latin American broadcast feeds.
McDonald’s and F1 will also activate together across the brand’s 2,300-plus restaurants in South and Central America, and through the McDonald’s mobile app.
F1 has positioned the new partnership as one that will capitalize on the popularity of the sport in Latin America, stating that the racing series has over 150 million fans in the region and adding that the figure is growing rapidly in countries such as Mexico and Brazil where F1 hosts annual races.
The F1-Arcos Dorados deal has been formally unveiled after the first race of the 2024 campaign, in Bahrain on March 2. The Mexican and Brazilian Grands Prix will be held consecutively on October 27 and November 3, respectively.
Emily Prazer, F1 chief commercial officer stated of the new partnership: “Formula 1 has a rich heritage in Latin America, so we are thrilled to be partnering with an iconic brand like McDonald’s to help further our connection with fans in this region.
“Through a combination of digital activations and in-store activity, we are incredibly excited to be working with McDonald’s to bring the world of F1 to both current and future fans in a new and powerful way.”
Arcos Dorados has a history of partnering with Latin American sporting events. In 2023, the brand served as the main sponsor of the Santiago 2023 Pan American and Parapan American Games.
Elsewhere, meanwhile, it has been reported in recent days that the French arm of the brand is in talks to become the new title sponsor of France’s top-tier soccer competition, Ligue 1.
McDonald’s is reportedly set to pay as much as €20 million ($21.7 million) per season for that competition’s naming rights, in what looks likely to be a three-year deal.
