McLaren Racing and Smartsheet, Official Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team, have today announced the return of Sponsor X at the 2023 British Grand Prix. McLaren and Smartsheet will spotlight UK-based non-profit STEAM Co. as the latest recipient of the Sponsor X initiative, taking the branding position of Smartsheet on McLaren’s F1 cars at Silverstone.

STEAM Co. was founded by Nick Corston, and runs sessions at primary schools, community fetes and festivals across England designed to spark inspiration, curiosity and creativity to support children with critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Ahead of the British Grand Prix, STEAM Co. will host a number of unique sessions for young students in collaboration with McLaren and Smartsheet, including a creativity day with rocket building and coding at a Woking school, a chance to meet the engineering team at Silverstone, and a visit to the McLaren Technology Centre.

Smartsheet launched Sponsor X to elevate people and organisations through the global platform of Formula 1. The initiative gives the Smartsheet on-car branding to non-profits, while collaborating with McLaren to provide meaningful experiences and resources throughout race week and beyond.

Sponsor X was launched at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix with local STEM non-profit DeadlyScience, and then brought to the 2022 United States Grand Prix with The Hidden Genius Project. 

For the 2023 British Grand Prix race weekend, STEAM Co. branding will be carried in place of Smartsheet on the MCL60 race cars.

Louise McEwen, Executive Director, Brand & Marketing, McLaren Racing, said:  

“Sponsor X continues to be a forward-thinking programme, pushing the boundaries of partnership collaboration. Delivering an initiative with authentic value and the hero activity of swapping a partner’s logo for a charity on our race car is something we had never seen before.

“We are excited that Smartsheet continues to spotlight these important causes through Sponsor X. What STEAM Co. are doing to foster creativity in our future generations can have such a positive impact on us today and tomorrow.”

Andrew Bennett, Chief Marketing Officer, Smartsheet, said:

“We launched Sponsor X to give deserving non-profits a global platform that puts their purpose front and centre. We’re going bigger in Sponsor X’s second season, starting with McLaren’s home race where we’re proud to shine a light on STEAM Co. Their work making sure children do not lose their capacity for creativity will help shape the next innovators, engineers, and technologists that fuel organisations like ours, McLaren, and the world.”

Nick Corston, Founder, STEAM Co., said: 

“Our work at STEAM Co. is important because creativity is important, yet programmes that foster creativity and imagination are often the first to be cut when budgets tighten. I believe that we are all born artists, and creating a creativity revolution can inspire our children, connect communities, and power the economy. By Smartsheet and McLaren asking our organisation to participate in Sponsor X, it not only meant they saw the shared dream, but it was validation that this cause truly matters.”