KAUST and McLaren Racing partner to push boundaries in F1 innovation—from smart sensors to advanced aerodynamic research.
About
Fresh off a victory at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, McLaren Racing and KAUST are turbocharging research, innovation and education through a dynamic collaboration between a university and a Formula 1 team that advances high-performance motorsport while delivering real-world solutions for industry and society. The high-speed effort supports the Kingdom’s pursuit of global excellence in sport, science and technology, aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.
Ahead of his monumental win at the Jeddah race, held April 18-20, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri visited KAUST for a research tour showcasing the partnership’s collaborative projects in aerodynamics, advanced lubricants and biosensors.
“It’s a very cool collaboration to have, it’s great to have such great involvement in motor sport, and I’m looking forward to the future,” Piastri said, adding that the McLaren-KAUST partnership is unique and mutually beneficial. “As a team, we have a lot of resources in a very specific field. Obviously, from the University’s side, it’s great to be able to use those resources beyond F1 as well. It’s a great partnership that brings a lot to both sides.”
For example, Professor Matteo Parsani, Applied Mathematics and Computational Science, highlighted how his research team’s aerodynamics work with McLaren Racing — squeezing out more efficient algorithms from complex race car geometries — ultimately supports Saudi industry. “These tools are now being used for another big project we have with Ceer Motors, which aims to produce electric vehicles in the Kingdom.”
The partnership drives home KAUST’s role as a global leader in high-impact science and technology and reaffirms its position as a hub for cross-sector collaboration with world-leading innovators such as McLaren.
Click here to read the full story on KAUST News.
