Google Maps Now Offers a McLaren F1 Car Avatar (Until November)

Jalopnik reports that Google Maps has added a McLaren Formula 1 car as a driving avatar, available for a limited window. The partnership between Google and McLaren gives users the option to replace the standard blue arrow or cartoon car with a stubby but recognizable F1 machine in McLaren's signature papaya orange.

The avatar is a nod to the team's 2026 challenger, the MCL40, and coincides with two American race weekends: the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas on October 25 and the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 21. The option disappears on November 23, 2026, according to the avatar selection page cited by Jalopnik.

To switch, open Google Maps, go to Settings, and select "Choose driving avatar." Scroll past the usual options — a sedan, a pickup, a sports car — and pick the McLaren F1 car. The change applies to both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Jalopnik notes that this is not a full interactive experience. Your car won't talk to you in the voice of drivers Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris, and Google Maps won't tell you to pit. It's purely a cosmetic upgrade.

Last year Google expanded its avatar library to include more models and custom colors, but those are tame compared to a race car stuck in traffic. If you want a little Formula 1 flavor on your morning commute, you have about a month to grab it.

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• USGP