McLaren Racing – Fits like a glove

From racing suits and boxer overalls to seat belts and gloves – Sparco has been supplying McLaren Racing with the best racing clothing for a quarter of a century – making it one of our long-term partners. To celebrate this milestone, McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo took to the track at the Italian Grand Prix wearing Sparco Arrow gloves in a unique, celebratory design.

Why the Italian Grand Prix? It’s not a home race for McLaren, but based in Volpiano, Turin, around 150 km west of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, it is definitely for Sparco. Drive another 9,000 km west to Portland International Raceway in the US and Arrow McLaren SP drivers Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist competed in INDYCAR with their own pair of 25th anniversary gloves over the weekend. But what makes these gloves so special?

The aesthetics

The first thing you notice about these gloves is their appearance: modern but with a nod to the past. Visually, they match the occasion perfectly, adorned with a special anniversary logo and line motif in silver – a color that stands for a 25th anniversary. The line motif consists of two lines on the left for 20 years and five over the right hand for five.

The fit

With more than 3,000 touch receptors in each human fingertip alone, the driver’s hands, along with their feet (through the pedals) and buttocks (through the seat), are an important means of sensing what the car is doing. Therefore, your gloves must be comfortable, light, and provide maximum feel. Each pair of gloves is specially tailored to the needs of each driver. With the naked eye, Lando and Daniel’s gloves or Pato and Felix’s gloves look the same. They don’t fit right away, however, as Sparco makes tiny adjustments for each rider to improve their grip and feel, making these gloves truly bespoke.

Sparco’s Arrow gloves are pre-shaped with external seams to guarantee maximum comfort and feel. They use the Italian company’s patented HTX technology to ensure that the thumb and forefinger are touch-sensitive – the Arrow glove is the first FIA-approved touch-sensitive glove. In other places, ergonomic seams between the index finger and thumb minimize the pressure when grasping the steering wheel with this part of the hand. Thanks to the intelligent disposable fabric, the gloves are ultra-light and at the same time meet the strict approval requirements to ensure safety and protection.

The technology

Arrow gloves have included biometric technology since 2018, when it was mandated by the FIA. There is a chip sensor in the palm area that monitors the driver’s blood pressure and heart rate. This means that the condition of the driver can be continuously monitored and the medical staff receive important information should an intervention be necessary.

As safety requirements and technological advances have increased over time, they have turned away from the use of leather in favor of technical fabrics and ushered in a new era of increasingly ergonomic and protective gloves that offer increased thermal insulation without compromising breathability – the high point of it are the Arrow gloves from Sparco.

Fancy a pair of these special anniversary gloves? After the checkered flag fell at the Italian Grand Prix, we are raffling off a pair signed by Lando and Daniel.

To be the first to know how to win this incredible prize, sign up for McLaren Plus using the form below.

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