F1 quits smoking - Casanova Cars

F1 quits smoking

It’s about time that all the tobacco companies quit the sponsorship pool of the F1 racing. With the recent regulations passed to stamp out tobacco sponsorship in F1 and with the departure of Mild Seven from F1 sponsorship, Marlboro is the last remaining tobacco company involved in sponsoring a F1 team. While still a sponsor for the Ferrari team, Marlboro is forced to take a low profile, as Ferrari is unable to display the Marlboro name or logo due to recent regulations

As for the next season Mild Seven, owned by Japan Tobacco, has ended its relationship with the Renault team, and while a deal between British American Tobacco's Lucky Strike brand and the Honda team has also expired, cigarette brands, like West and Benson & Hedges have also left. With that money now declining, some teams feared a funding crisis. Instead, analysts say, as racing executives prepare to gather next week in Monaco for a conference on the commercial side of the sport, the sponsorship market looks unpredictably healthy.

As sponsors the Williams team will be getting AT&T, the Renault team will be getting the Dutch Bank ING group. Also Grupo Santander, a Spanish bank, announced a five- year deal to support the McLaren Mercedes team, joining Mutua Madrileña, a Spanish insurer, on the McLaren roster. As the tobacco companies were kicked out many others have come in and cashed in on the opportunity. This will certainly help the F1 racing world to free itself from the tobacco company’s dependence. It will be interesting to see how long Marlboro will manage to hold on in there with all that is going around them. Let’s hope they will quit soon too!

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December 14, 2006 - 7:50 AM | Posted in - Others