> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.the-race.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# IndyCar title sponsor NTT joins McLaren F1 team
- URL: https://www.the-race.com/business/indycar-title-sponsor-ntt-mclaren-f1-2027-partner/
- Published: 2026-11-04T10:13:44.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-04T10:13:44.000Z
- Description: IndyCar title sponsor NTT will join McLaren's F1 team as an official partner in 2027
- Author: Scott Mitchell-Malm
- Tags: Business, Formula 1, #mclaren

IndyCar title sponsor NTT will join McLaren's Formula 1 team as an official partner in 2027.

The multi-year partnership with McLaren in F1 follows the culmination of NTT's sponsorship of the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team this year but the two brands have a deeper recent history.

NTT and McLaren first joined forces when what was then NTT Communications - now NTT Docomo - became a technology partner of McLaren-Honda in F1 in 2016.

That deal was assisted by Just Marketing International, the company spearheaded by Zak Brown prior to him joining McLaren's F1 team, which he now runs as McLaren Racing CEO.

Brown was therefore critical in subsequent McLaren/NTT ventures including an IndyCar partnership that began with NTT Data in 2023.

This materialised in tandem with IndyCar champion Alex Palou - whose car NTT had sponsored to IndyCar success - joining McLaren as an F1 reserve driver and future IndyCar race driver.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dd/af/ddafbd99-2ccd-468c-b622-4b3cccf80b49/content/images/2026/11/XPB_1257199_HiRes.jpg)

Light NTT Data branding was even displayed on McLaren's F1 cars at the end of 2023, and it stayed with McLaren in IndyCar on revised terms even when Palou opted to breach his contract and remain with Chip Ganassi Racing.

Though the IndyCar deal has now concluded, a fresh partnership will begin in F1 centred on artificial intelligence.

McLaren's announcement of the new deal puts "AI security governance at its core" - which it says is to "help regulate security risks from the use of AI" as the technology evolves.

Brown said: "We have a long-standing relationship with NTT and are excited to welcome them as an official partner of the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 team, to build on the success we've had to date.

"AI has enormous potential across our sport and our business, and NTT's expertise will support us in adopting new technologies in a responsible and secure way."

NTT will continue its title sponsorship of IndyCar alongside its expanded presence on the F1 grid.

It has clearly identified F1's bigger reach as a necessary priority though.

"Formula 1 is a global stage where the world's brightest minds come together to continually push the limits of what is possible," said Akira Shimada, NTT president and CEO.

"McLaren Racing, which has achieved outstanding results through its investment in people and technology, and NTT, which has continued to transform itself while addressing societal challenges, share much in common.

"Since 2019, NTT has contributed to the growth of motorsport through its title sponsorship of the NTT IndyCar series.

"This new partnerships builds on that experience, and together with McLaren Racing, we will further accelerate NTT's global business."