Formula E: McLaren Unveils World's First AI-Designed Livery Ahead of London E-Prix

A new McLaren Formula E livery, which the team calls a "world first" for its use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) approaches, will be debuted on Saturday at the London E-Prixs by drivers Jake Hughes and Rene Rast. The team's title sponsor NEOM worked with its Saudi Arabian graduate participants to design the livery. As part of its 60th-anniversary celebration of the Woking outfit, McLaren is running a special Formula E season finale livery designed by a team of contributors that includes four recent college grads, as well as Rast and Hughes. First, the "visions" were sent into a text AI, which generated a set of prompts. Next, the "artwork" was "created individually for each vision" with the help of a text-to-image AI.

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Formula E London E-Prix: More About McLaren AI-Generated Livery

The design was a joint effort between NEOM and McLaren Racing, including input from drivers René Rast and Jake Hughes and four members of NEOM's Graduate Development Programme to create a futuristic look. With the use of AI, we were able to take everyone's ideas and fully materialise them in the livery. The first step included a textual AI processing the visuals to generate questions. Then, using text-to-image AI, we generated custom artwork for each vision based on the prompts. McLaren Racing's automobile was designed using high-resolution graphics based on a combination of all six images, which were then integrated using image-to-image AI and improved. 

Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said: “We are delighted to work with NEOM on the creation of the first AI-designed livery in motorsport. When the car takes its place on the grid in London this weekend, it will mark a key moment in celebration of McLaren Racing’s 60th anniversary. McLaren has a long history of innovation in motorsport and beyond, so as we celebrate our past, it’s just as important to look to the future and continue to break new ground.”

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Formula E London E-Prix: McLaren's Jake Hughes Smash Breaks Speed Record

After a disappointing journey to Rome, Hughes still has a potential season ahead of him as he flies to his home race, the London for the Hankook E-Prix doubleheader. Using a modified version of the Gen3 Formula E car, McLaren's Jake Hughes established a new indoor speed record for vehicles. The previous record was broken by more than 33 mph (53 km/h) during a run that took place behind the curtains on the main straight of the London ExCeL circuit. This followed an analysis plan put in place by Formula E and the FIA employing 400kW-powered Gen3 cars. In a practise "duel" for qualifying, Hughes and Mahindra's Lucas di Grassi went head-to-head.

With his first of three practice runs, he set the bar at 214.8 km/h and became the de facto world record holder. Two more practice runs later, he had broken his own unofficial world record. Hughes, competing in his maiden Formula E season, took off on his fourth and official run, breaking the record before Lucas di Grassi ever took the track.

The GENBETA vehicle that set the record incorporated many upgrades over the production Gen3 version that the FIA and Formula E debuted this year. For the first time, an all-wheel-drive Formula E vehicle was produced by activating the front powertrain kit in traction, increasing the battery's power output from 350kW to 400kW. This might be used for the Gen3.5 vehicle that debuts in 2025. In addition to the 3D-printed wind deflector, wheel fins, and front wing endplates, the run also made use of a softer tyre made by Hankook.