Petronas has announced that it will be the title sponsor of Mercedes GP! This comes as a surprise after it was widely reported that the national oil company will be ending its involvement in F1 as a team sponsor. The choice of Mercedes GP is also unexpected – after all Malaysia has its “own” team in Lotus F1.The five-year agreement with Mercedes comes after Petronas’ deal with BMW Sauber ended in the just concluded 2009 season. Under this new deal, Petronas will be the title partner to the Silver Arrows works team, which will be officially known as the Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team.
The official media statement explains that “this partnership allows related business arrangements with Mercedes that will support Petronas’ international business expansion efforts, particularly in its global lubricant business. The exclusive rights of a title partner and association with the premium, internationally-renowned Mercedes brand will further enhance Petronas and Malaysia’s ongoing global brand positioning efforts. Petronas will also be able to continue to leverage on the extensive international exposure offered by the sport to grow its existing business activities.”
This tie-up also presents Petronas with the opportunity to utilise and leverage on Mercedes’ long motor sport heritage to further supplement its talent development initiatives as part of its contribution towards the development of Malaysia’s motorsports industry, it said.
Petronas will continue to be the title sponsor of the Malaysian Grand Prix, as reported earlier.
Quotes from Norbert Haug, Vice-President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsports and Ross Brawn, Team Principal are after the jump.
UPDATE: The Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team’s race car will make its track debut in its new livery at Valencia on 1 February to start pre-season testing ahead of the 2010 season.
Norbert Haug, Vice-President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsports
“We are very pleased to begin our long-term partnership with our new title partner PETRONAS. Daimler, our premium brand Mercedes-Benz and PETRONAS will work together both on and off the track and I am sure that everybody involved will guarantee their absolute dedication to success. PETRONAS’ home base in Kuala Lumpur is located in the middle of a fast-growing region for the automotive industry which makes this new partnership even more valuable. Within the limits of the new Formula One resource restrictions, the Mercedes GP PETRONAS Formula One Team will be well positioned to achieve our goals. We will all strive to present efficient success in the future knowing at the same time that the new Formula One season with some fundamental rule changes will be a particularly challenging one.”
Ross Brawn, Team Principal of the Mercedes GP PETRONAS Formula One Team
“Everyone at Mercedes GP is delighted to confirm our long-term agreement with PETRONAS and we look forward to working closely with our new partner in the future. The collaboration of the premium automotive brand Mercedes-Benz and a company as prestigious as PETRONAS gives our team a fantastic base from which to achieve our ambitions of competing at the top level of Formula One and building on the success of 2009 which saw the team achieve the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships. Our plans for the new season are progressing well, as is the development of our 2010 challenger, and we look forward to seeing the car run in the new Silver Arrows and PETRONAS livery at the Valencia test in February.”
MERCEDES GP SIGNS LONG-TERM AGREEMENT WITH PETRONAS
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER JOINS MERCEDES GP PETRONAS
tunku : we hope some people won't make this as an issue on why petronas did not sponsor Malaysian FI Lotus team.this is a business decision which will give petronas more money and more money for petronas means more money for Malaysian.it would be able to generate sustainable business growth particularly in lubricants market. we should not forget that mercedes is a superb global brand, and petronas is working with them.knowledge and technology involved here.so we hope some people stop questioning the decision made by petronas and be proud of the partnership.
Malaysian Ringgit Converter
8 comments:
tunku,
1. Petronas should go for the best F1 team to market its products and generate more money by penetrating the merz and luz car markets.
2. let airasia to anchor the lotus F1 and has freedom to ensure the success of the team.
3. Let see the 2010 results before making further comments.
i'm proud of the partnership.it is a good deal for petronas.
like jbresident said, let airasia handle lotus first.
Even better, Michael Schumacher is on board, though only for a year. Which is good for development since he has close relationship with Ross Brawn.
Petronas oil has since been used for BMW production cars, along with Castrol. And now we can see the oil being used for Mercedes Benz production cars. Bravo.
Never dream about this, didn't we?
Dear sir...
people that question this kind of deal actually either they dont understand bisnes or they dont wana understand (especially opposition side)... for them only waste rakyat money... but do they now its a part of doing bisnes
Now Petronas is part of world brand... just like their competitor... so to get the better promotion n benefit we must be with the top gun to make is success.. look at shell n ferrari... but dont forget bout the equal return form the investment...
say bout proud... from the start with ford, sauber, BMW and now with mecz... i'm so proud with it... stay away from Lotus... as jbresident say... let air asia anchor it... and see what happen... hope both team will success compete with big boys...
thank u sir..
Honestly I don't understand business. What additional business will Petronas get from this partnership ? My simple mind tells me that Petronas digs for oil to sell and I am sure there are always willing buyers. In the domestic market, I am not brand conscious. Which ever brand that has the contest where I can win money, etc gets my sales
tunku : we hope some people won't make this as an issue.
Hahaha, try tell this to the brainless Lim Kit Siang and his DAP goons....he will probably ask Najib to form a Royal Commission to investigate Michael Schumacher and Mercedes, after reading Barry Wain's next article.
I agree that Petronas deal with Mercedes is a logical one and totally separate from the Lotus deal.
This is because the Lotus deal is a political grovelling project initiated by Tony Fernandez after having spent so much on Pak Lah previously.
So of course, Petronas does not want to be tainted by the Fernandez deal .... just as they did not want to be tainted with other politically tainted deals!
Dear Tunku,
I know that this blog belongs to you and you have the right to delete comments as you wish. But I am inclined to believe that that you should only do so if the language used is offensive and not if the comments disagree with your trend of thought. Good ideas cames from the clash of thought. And your blog can make a contribution to this process. Thank You. Ramalx
Post a Comment