BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
Etihad Airways unveiled a specially designed Boeing 787 Dreamliner featuring McLaren Racing’s signature papaya branding during an event at Etihad Engineering in Abu Dhabi, marking the first time the Formula One team’s identity has appeared on a wide-body aircraft.
The aircraft will operate across Etihad’s global network, carrying the McLaren Racing livery from Abu Dhabi to destinations including Dublin, Milan, Vienna, Bali, Bangkok and Delhi.
The reveal also set a Guinness World Records title for the largest single-piece kabuki reveal, independently verified by Guinness World Records.
Speaking at the event, Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport and Chairman of the Board of Etihad Aviation Group, said the aircraft reflected Abu Dhabi’s approach to ambition, discipline and long-term development.
“Every day in this hangar, skilled hands prepare the aircraft that carry the name of Abu Dhabi to the great cities of the world. Tonight, that name travels in new colours,” Al Shorafa said.
“Abu Dhabi has always delivered that ambition must be matched by discipline. Great things are not built by chance, but through patience, precision, resilience and long-term view,” he added.
He said the aircraft would carry the spirit associated with Abu Dhabi and its Formula One presence beyond the circuit.
“The aircraft you are about to see will carry that spirit far beyond the circuit, telling the story of a capital and its people moving with purpose,” Al Shorafa said.
The new livery celebrates the partnership between Etihad Airways and McLaren Racing, bringing together the airline’s global network and the Formula One team’s identity on one of Etihad’s flagship aircraft.
Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said Etihad and McLaren Racing are two ambitious global brands with a shared focus on performance and a drive to keep moving forward.
“This aircraft will proudly carry that story from our home in Abu Dhabi to cities around the world, bringing our partnership closer to fans wherever it flies and sharing the excitement of Formula One with people across our expanding global network,” Neves noted.
The partnership also extends Etihad’s longstanding association with Formula One, with the airline serving as title sponsor of the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2009.
“It is fantastic to see our partnership with Etihad Airways brought to life in such a unique way. The aircraft livery brings together two iconic global brands and will connect McLaren Racing and Etihad with fans and customers around the world,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said.
During the event, Brown emphasised how Abu Dhabi marks a special place for the team as they snatched the World Constructors championship title at the final race in 2024, while Lando Norris took his first championship in the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.