McLaren Formula 1 Team driver Oscar Piastri unveils McLaren supercar to kick off 2025 Melbourne GP
Leading Australian-founded global financial platform, Airwallex, has launched its ‘Shifted Perspectives’ campaign for the 2025 Formula 1 season with the McLaren Formula 1 Team and acclaimed First Nations artist, Reko Rennie.
Over 300 guests attended Airwallex’s Shifted Perspectives event in Melbourne, for the highly anticipated unveiling of the McLaren Artura featuring Rennie’s bold design and a fireside chat with the artist and Australian F1 hero, Oscar Piastri (pictured).
The event marked an exciting moment in the lead-up to the F1 Australian Grand Prix, which commences with Practice Sessions on Friday (14 March), with Oscar Piastri leading the Australian charge.
Airwallex, McLaren and Reko Rennie Supercar
As an Official Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team, Airwallex has elevated the partnership through a creative collaboration with Reko Rennie, an internationally renowned Kamilaroi artist. Rennie’s bold, thought-provoking work explores Indigenous identity and modern urban culture, and his vision for this project embodies the concept of ‘shifting perspectives’.
Rennie uses camouflage and graphic diamond patterns to cover the car – the diamond shape is one of his most utilised motifs and pays homage to his Kamilaroi heritage in a form similar to a family crest. The hand-drawn symbols and repetitive patterning are used to subvert romantic ideologies of Aboriginal identity. His bespoke design transformed the McLaren Artura Coupe – a high-performance hybrid supercar – into a striking sculptural installation, blending art and performance, as well as Airwallex and McLaren’s spirit of innovation.
“At Airwallex, we’re always looking for ways to push boundaries and create unexpected moments that provoke thought,” said Jon Stona, VP, Global Marketing, Airwallex. “Seeing Reko’s design come to life on the McLaren Artura was a truly special moment. Just like McLaren challenges conventions on the track, and Oscar Piastri takes on the world’s best in F1, we want to encourage Australian businesses to shift their perspectives, take bold steps, and scale globally.”
Reko Rennie added, “Unveiling this design in front of a live audience has been incredible. As a lover of both art and sport, the crowd reaction affirmed how art and sport can intersect to create something truly unique. At the core, this collaboration is a celebration of innovation, heritage and pushing boundaries, which is what I try to embody in my work, and Airwallex and McLaren represent. I look forward to people seeing it in the flesh this week.”
The McLaren Artura featuring Rennie’s design is now on public display at Queensbridge Square from 7am-7pm daily from 13-16 March, 2025, offering fans the chance to witness the one-of-a-kind design in person.
Business Grant Winners: Supporting Ambition and Bold Thinking
Alongside AUD$35,000 worth of prizes that included a VIP race week experience and signed merchandise, Airwallex also announced the winners of three business grants to support Australian founders and professionals who embody Airwallex and the McLaren F1 Team’s spirit of ambition and bold thinking. AUD$25,000 in funding was awarded across three categories, encouraging businesses to drive innovation and capitalise on new opportunities to foster borderless growth:
- $10,000 Business Acceleration Grant: won by Edward Barraclough of Drone-Hand for pushing boundaries, scaling to new heights and shifting perspectives. Barraclough shifted his perspective when he pivoted from award-winning aerial photo-videographer to AgTech pioneer. He uses drone technology to respond to an increasing need for safer and more efficient farm management in the face of extreme climate events.
- $10,000 First Nations Business Grant: won by Fiona Harrison of Chocolate on Purpose, for its determination to infuse a love of chocolate with profound social impact, as well as her investment in innovation to grow her business and support of Indigenous growers of native edibles.
- $5,000 Professional Acceleration Grant: won by Leila Oliviera of Antler, who is looking to supercharge her career through learning and development. Oliviera shifted her perspective to uncover untapped founder talent from underrepresented groups that often get overlooked. By positioning herself as an approachable investor, she has helped to drive inclusivity in the venture capital space.
