McLaren facing trouble as Dutch health organisations file complaint over their “nicotine branding” on the car
McLaren F1 team’s nicotine branding on the car has become a major issue for Ditch Health organisations.
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2023 McLaren F1 car
McLaren had more than 40 sponsors as of the 2023 Formula 1 season. One of those sponsors have recently come under duress ahead of the Dutch GP. Tobacco advertising was once the lifeblood for Formula 1. A few decades ago, drivers like James Hunt and many others were known for their habits off track which involved usage of tobacco. A lot of the teams had signed deals with Nicotine brands that would go on to promote their products.
However, Tobacco advertising has been banned in Formula 1 for more than a decade. Despite that, teams find a way to accommodate their sponsors through a creative approach. Velo which is one of McLaren’s sponsors, is a brand created by British American Tobacco. In April the Dutch government has agreed to ban the sale of all types of nicotine pouches over health concerns. The legislation is still a work in progress meaning McLaren can still have Velo branding on their car.
This in turn has prompted an official complaint to the Dutch Advertising Code Committee by a group of Dutch health organizations, including the Dutch Heart Foundation and the KWF Dutch Cancer Society. Here is what they had to say. “It just goes to show again how the tobacco industry is doing everything in its power to keep young people addicted in order to keep this sickening and deadly business going,” said Carla van Gils, director of KWF Dutch Cancer Society, in a press release.
60 fans will get to see their name on the McLaren raced by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
In a partnership with Velo, McLaren announced a contest where 60 fans will see their name added to the MCL60 raced by Lando Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri. The winners draw would be chosen randomly. One lucky contestant will also be winning a trip to the Dutch GP. The brand’s fan competition was only accessible to fans over the legal age of 18 years.
With Max Verstappen already winning 8 races consecutively, it will be interesting to see if he can break Sebastian Vettel’s record of 9 back to back race wins. The Dutchman could possibly equal Seb if he wins the upcoming Dutch GP which also happens to be Max’s home race. It will be interesting to see what McLaren can do with their newfound pace through their upgrades.
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Varad Joshi
(940 Articles Published)