The McLaren Group has set its sights on becoming “the best in professional cycling” after securing a 50 per cent stake in UCI WorldTour team Bahrain Merida.
McLaren said it wanted to bring its expertise from Formula One and other sports to cycling, working alongside the Bahrain Merida team which was formed in 2017 and is home to 2014 Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali.
“Racing, technology and human performance are at the heart of everything we do at McLaren,” McLaren’s chief marketing officer John Allert said.
“Cycling is something we have been involved with in the past and have been looking at entering for some time.
“It is a completely natural fit for our skills and our ambitions and a perfect partnership with Team Bahrain Merida who have the right vision and approach for the future.”
The deal was announced on the same day that Sky said it would end its investment in professional cycling at the end of 2019, leaving the future of Team Sky in doubt.
McLaren, who worked with Team GB ahead of the London Olympics and recently collaborated with American manufacturer Specialized on bike design, said its partnership with Bahrain Merida would focus on technical collaboration, human high-performance, and marketing and commercial services.
Bahrain Merida general manager Brent Copeland said: “McLaren has been raising the bar for technological innovation and sport performance for decades.
“The combination of our passion and vision for Team Bahrain Merida to be a winning team, with McLaren’s expertise and dedication, is the perfect partnership.”
