The union between racing organization McLaren Racing and Hedera represents that Web3 has arrived at a practical level and wants to show the world exactly what it intends to do with blockchain in practical use cases.
As X Finance Bull pointed out, McLaren did not pick Hedera for fun. They picked it because speed, finality, and energy use actually matter when you are building something that needs to work at scale. A Formula 1 team is not chasing hype. It is looking for tech that can perform under pressure, in front of millions of fans, without breaking down.
What you'll learn 👉
Why McLaren Went With Hedera
Most blockchain partnerships in sports usually revolve around collectibles, NFTs, or fan tokens that do not really change how fans interact with a team. This one looks different. Hedera is set to power digital fan engagement across both Formula 1 and IndyCar, with officially licensed activations tied directly to live race weekends.
That is where Hedera’s strengths really come into play. Finality on Hedera happens in seconds, not minutes. Transactions are not stuck waiting in a queue. When a fan interacts with something during a live race, it has to feel instant. If it lags, the experience falls apart.
Then there is the energy side of things. Formula 1 is under constant pressure to improve sustainability, so building digital experiences on a network known for heavy energy use would make little sense. Hedera’s low energy footprint fits much better with that direction and makes Web3 easier to integrate without creating awkward contradictions.
McLaren didn’t pick Hedera $HBAR for fun 🏎️
— X Finance Bull (@Xfinancebull) January 22, 2026
They picked it because speed, finality, and energy use actually matter when you're building real-world Web3 experiences at scale.
Are you seeing it? pic.twitter.com/R16ohWRKv5
Speed and Finality Actually Matter Here
When X Finance Bull says speed and finality matter, this is not just marketing language. A lot of blockchains claim to be fast and cheap, but few are tested in real-world conditions where thousands or even millions of users might show up at the same time.
Hedera’s setup is built to handle high volumes with predictable costs and quick settlement. That reliability becomes critical when fan engagement is tied to live events. This is not a demo environment. This is real production usage with real expectations.
Read Also: $HBAR Price to $0.20? Hedera Enters the AI Race With a Weapon No Other Blockchain Has
What This Could Mean for Web3 Fan Experiences
A partnership like this may also imply the beginning of a change in the way that Web3 is used to power the sport.
For Hedera, it’s an opportunity to show that its tech is capable of conducting business outside the realm of finance, in a larger space. For McLaren, it’s about connecting fans in a digital-first world, moving away from gimmicks and technology, towards a sense of real interaction.
McLaren choosing Hedera highlights a growing split in the blockchain space. Some networks still focus on loud narratives. Others are quietly building infrastructure that big brands can actually rely on.
This partnership puts Hedera in that second group. It is less about being the most talked-about chain in crypto and more about being the one that works when performance, sustainability, and scale are no longer optional.
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