Okta partners with McLaren Racing to boost digital security

Okta has announced a multi-year partnership with McLaren Racing's Formula 1 Team, aimed at enhancing the digital experience and security for McLaren's global fanbase, partners, and employees.

As an official partner from the 2025 season onwards, Okta will collaborate with McLaren to improve secure access across the team's digital platforms. Okta's branding will prominently feature on the race cars and driver overalls of McLaren Formula 1 Team drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

McLaren Racing competes in five distinct racing series, including the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, where their principal drivers are Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The team is also active in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, with drivers Pato O'Ward, Nolan Siegel, and Christian Lundgaard representing Arrow McLaren. In the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, drivers Sam Bird and Taylor Barnard race under the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team banner. Additionally, the team participates in F1 Academy through a partnership with Rodin Motorsport, involving driver Ella Lloyd.

In the F1 Sim Racing Championship, McLaren Shadow fields racers Lucas Blakeley, Wilson Hughes, and Alfie Butcher.

Zak Brown, Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Racing, expressed optimism about the new partnership, stating: "We are thrilled to welcome Okta as an Official Partner of the McLaren F1 Team. This strategic partnership will enhance our team's performance, efficiency and security off the track, enabling us to stay focused on building upon last season's on-track successes."

Post initial deployment, Okta aims to further support McLaren Racing in enhancing its digital infrastructure, thus improving operational security and efficiency. Todd McKinnon, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Okta, remarked on the partnership: "Okta is proud to partner with McLaren and we look forward to identifying how we can help protect the identities of their millions of fans, partners and employees across the globe. By coupling speed with security, together we'll be able to strengthen the team's confidence that their identities are secure so they can focus on their performance on track."

The history of McLaren Racing dates back to its founding by racing driver Bruce McLaren in 1963. The team commenced its Formula 1 journey with its first race in 1966. Over the decades, McLaren has accumulated an impressive record with 21 Formula 1 World Championships, 189 Grand Prix victories, three Indianapolis 500 wins, and success at the Le Mans 24 Hours on its first attempt.

Okta has previously partnered with other sports organisations to enhance fan experiences. In collaboration with the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA), Major League Baseball (MLB), and the Australian Football League (AFL), Okta has contributed to consolidating digital platforms into singular access points, thereby improving user experiences and engagement.

With the RBFA, Okta streamlined fan access to services such as ticket sales and personalised content, leading to improved engagement strategies. In MLB, Okta's identity solutions facilitated secure access to digital services for millions of fans, from streaming to merchandise purchases. Through the AFL iD programme, Okta provided fans seamless access to a variety of digital services, enhancing fan engagement by simplifying and securing their digital interactions.