Performance, innovation and exceptional design stand for McLaren Racing and Sparco – two brands that have enjoyed great success at the height of motorsport. From Grand Prix victories to title triumphs, we’ve ridden together since 1996. This means that some of the leading lights in Formula 1 have hit the track in Sparco racing clothing with McLaren colors. Häkkinen, Raikkonen, Alonso, Hamilton, Button and now Norris and Ricciardo have worn racing clothing that is tailored to millimeter precision and is the result of intensive research and development – all in the pursuit of performance.
2021 will be the 25th anniversary of our partnership with Sparco. To celebrate, this year let’s take a closer look at how Sparco has combined high performance, reliability and safety with Italian style in our longstanding relationship. To start with, here are some of the most important milestones from two and a half decades of cooperation.
Dress up
Sparco brought innovations to racing clothing by responding to the ever-growing need for safety, comfort and design from drivers and teams. With this, the Superleggera racing suit was developed between 2010 and 2011. Weighing around 20% less than previous suits, it embarked on a groundbreaking journey towards weight reduction when it came to suit design – the highlight right now is Lando and Daniel’s Prime PRO suit.
Seat belts on
Sparco’s F1 history is not all about racing apparel. Seat belts have been made for our drivers, similar to a bespoke suit, fine-tuning the dimensions and minimizing weight. Weighing in at just 400g, the PRIME H-10 seat belt we use in the MCL35M is 15% lighter than its predecessor and the lightest six-point harness in the the F1 band.
Fits like a …
Biometric glove. The latest development of the Sparco Arrow glove is mandatory in Formula 1 from 2018 and has a biometric sensor. The sensor allows teams and the FIA to monitor a driver’s physical condition progress during the race, including blood pressure and heart rate. These gloves are the first FIA approved touch sensitive gloves. They are pre-curved and the palm is designed with Sparco’s patented HTX technology, which enables superior performance in terms of grip, flexibility, breathability and vibration dampening.
New boots
The PRIME RB 11 shoe was also launched in 2018, with McLaren playing a key role in its development. Those racing kicks spearheaded the introduction of the FIA-approved Sparco boots, and the innovation didn’t stop there as the X-Light + boot was born in 2020 – a ‘knitted’ shoe with a carbon fiber insole made from 60% fireproof jacquard -Material for a level of sensitivity, comfort and lightness comparable to that of a sock.
For the coming months, keep an eye on McLaren Racing’s channels to learn more about the shared history of McLaren Racing and Sparco.
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