Mercedes GP joins forces with Petronas

The Malaysian company Petronas was undoubtedly the most coveted firm in recent weeks. After being a sponsor of BMW-Sauber until this season, Petronas was coveted by many teams: Williams, Sauber, McLaren,Lotus? But it?s ultimately Mercedes GP which won, announcing this Monday a long-term agreement with the oil and gas company. The Silver Arrows of the Brackley team will therefore display the Petronas name during the next season. The official name of the team will be Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team.

If Petronas recently announced that it did not want to sponsor a team, it is due to the lack of interesting partnerships for the Malaysian company. But, by joining forces with the team of a manufacturer such as Mercedes, Petronas will be able to take advantage of the reputation of the German engine manufacturer to position itself further on the oils and lubricants markets. In addition, Mercedes announces that the car will be presented in its new colors on February 1 in Valencia, for the first day of testing F1 pre-season. Petronas, for its part, announces that it will continue to sponsor the Malaysian Grand Prix, the third event of the season.

« We are delighted to begin a long-term partnership with our new title sponsor Petronas, says Norbert Haug, vice-president of Mercedes Motorsports. Daimler, the premium brand of Mercedes-Benz, will work on and off the track with Petronas and I am sure that everyone involved will contribute to the success of this partnership. Petronas headquarters in Kuala Lumpur is located in a high growth area for the automotive industry, making this partnership even more relevant. Within the confines of the new restrictions in Formula 1, the Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team will be well placed to achieve its goals. »

« Everyone at Mercedes GP is happy to confirm this long-term agreement with Petronas, affirms Ross Brawn for his part. We look forward to working with our new partner in the future. The collaboration of the prestigious Mercedes-Benz automobile brand with a company like Petronas gives our team a fantastic starting point to achieve our goals of competing at the highest level of Formula 1 by relying on the successes of 2009, a year in which the team won the drivers' and constructors' titles. Our plans for next season are taking shape and we can't wait to see the new car racing in the Silver Arrows and Petronas colors at the Valencia test in February. »