Etihad Airways and McLaren Racing take to the skies with racing team livery

Etihad Airways has unveiled a striking livery carrying the branding of partner McLaren Racing, marking the first time a Formula 1 team has been featured on a wide-body aircraft.

The specially designed aircraft transforms one of Etihad’s flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with McLaren’s distinctive identity and papaya colour.

The aircraft will take the partnership around the world, connecting Abu Dhabi with destinations from Dublin, Milan and Vienna to Bali, Bangkok and Delhi.

The livery was revealed at an event at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Engineering facility, featuring the record title for the largest single-piece kabuki reveal, independently verified by Guinness World Records.

“Formula 1 has a remarkable ability to connect people and create excitement across borders, and together with McLaren we have an opportunity to bring fans even closer to the action and create memorable moments for them around the world. I look forward to seeing the aircraft in the skies," said Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer.

Speaking to ARN News, he noted that the first flight to Madrid will take-off today before expanding to other cities worldwide.

Meanwhile, Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said the aircraft "brings together two iconic global brands and will connect McLaren Racing and Etihad with fans and customers around the world”.

Neves also shared that the process to design the aircraft, carried out with Brown, included 15 options that led to the creation of the unveiled aircraft:

The livery is the latest expression of the partnership between Etihad Airways and McLaren Racing announced earlier this year.

The UAE airline is an official partner of the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team and the McLaren Hypercar Team for the 2026 season and beyond.

Alongside the new aircraft, Etihad branding features prominently on the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team race cars, including the MCL40’s rear wing and halo, as well as McLaren Mastercard F1 Team driver helmets.

The partnership builds on Etihad’s long-standing commitment to racing, including its role as title sponsor of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2009.

The season finale is set to take place this year from December 3-6 on Yas Island.