The Atlassian Williams F1 Team has today announced a multi-year partnership with AI research firm Anthropic, naming its flagship assistant Claude as the team’s Official Thinking Partner ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Under the agreement, Claude will be integrated across the Williams organisation – working alongside engineers, strategists and operations groups to support how the team thinks, plans and performs in areas including race strategy and car development at a time of significant regulation change in the sport.
Claude branding will appear on the team’s FW48 cars, drivers and kit starting with the 2026 livery reveal on February 3, ahead of the season opener in Melbourne, marking the first chapter of the multi-year collaboration.
“We are thrilled to welcome Anthropic to Atlassian Williams F1 Team and Claude as our Official Thinking Partner,” said Team Principal James Vowles.
“At a time when our team is on a journey to the front, this partnership is an opportunity for us to show what’s possible when you combine elite human talent with the right frontier models.
Williams’ approach goes beyond traditional sponsorship, embedding AI tools into core processes at a moment when teams are looking for marginal gains through data analysis and insight generation as much as mechanical performance.
Andrew Stirk, Head of Brand Marketing at Anthropic, said Williams’ position as one of F1’s remaining independent teams and its attention to detail made it a natural fit for Claude’s expansion into high-stakes performance environments.
Partnering with Williams allows us to show how AI can operate alongside experts in one of the most demanding settings in sport.
Andrew Stirk
“Williams is a team that understands the value of precision, focus and marginal gains,” he said.
“Claude is designed to support people working in exactly those kinds of environments, where the quality of thinking and decision-making has a direct impact on performance.
“Partnering with Williams allows us to show how AI can operate alongside experts in one of the most demanding settings in sport.”
The deal underscores the growing interest of AI firms in Formula 1 as a platform to showcase technology and engage global audiences while also opening up a new category of engagement – one that blends competitive operations support with commercial branding visibility.
