26 Jul 2026
Motul has engineered a bespoke gearbox and differential lubricant for McLaren Racing’s MCL40 Formula 1 car as part of an expanded multi-year partnership between the two companies. The collaboration also extends to McLaren’s upcoming entry into endurance racing.
Motul has engineered a bespoke gearbox and differential lubricant for McLaren Racing’s MCL40 Formula 1 car as part of an expanded multi-year partnership between the two companies. The collaboration also extends to McLaren’s upcoming entry into endurance racing.
The French lubricant specialist has been supplying the transmission lubricant for the MCL40 since the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Looking ahead, Motul will also provide both engine and transmission lubricants for McLaren’s Hypercar, which is scheduled to compete in the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).
The custom lubricant was developed over a nine-month period through close collaboration between Motul’s research and development teams in France and Japan and McLaren engineers. During development, the formulation underwent more than 40 rigorous evaluations, including tribological testing, material compatibility studies, preselection assessments, and final validation at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England.
The final formulation was designed to achieve five critical objectives: reducing friction and mechanical stress within the gearbox, maintaining performance across an exceptionally wide temperature range, ensuring consistent transmission performance under the extreme pressures experienced during Formula 1 races, delivering durability beyond the distance of a single Grand Prix, and providing enhanced wear protection while minimizing friction losses.
Julien Plet, Head of Research & Development at Motul, noted that McLaren already operated with an exceptionally high-performance transmission fluid, making the development challenge even greater.
According to Plet, the primary objective was to further reduce friction losses while maintaining long-term lubricant durability. He added that the new formulation has been validated to sustain its performance over several thousand kilometres under Formula 1 operating conditions. As Formula 1 cars continue to evolve throughout the season, he said the lubricant will also undergo continuous development.
Beyond Formula 1, Motul will support McLaren’s World Endurance Championship programme through its Racing Lab, a mobile laboratory capable of analysing lubricant samples for metal wear particles, oxidation, thermal stability, and fuel dilution. This predictive maintenance system, which has been in operation since 2019, enables engineers to make real-time performance adjustments while providing valuable data for future lubricant development.
Motul and McLaren have maintained a technical partnership for more than a decade, collaborating across several GT3 racing programmes before expanding their relationship into Formula 1 and endurance racing. The detailed article is published by https://alphalubricants.ie/ can be accessed from https://alphalubricants.ie/motul-x-mclaren-racing-from-milliseconds-in-formula-1-to-thousands-of-kilometers-in-endurance-racing/?srsltid=AfmBOorkeRBzuT83icga_9SEunRv3UFJ2B6DSJBitbxrqsuibnIPVBz9
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