The Aston Martin Formula One team has signed a multi-year deal with Saudi Arabia flag carrier Saudia.
Contract:
- Saudia becomes the team's global airline partner
- Branding will be visible on the inside of the front wing endplate
- Fans can enter a competition for tickets to one of the many Grands Prix destinations to which Saudia flies
Context: This is Aston Martin's second partnership with a state-owned Saudi company, adding to their deal with oil firm Aramco, which shares the team's naming rights with US information technology company Cognizant. Ahead of this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, it highlights the ever-deepening ties between the Gulf state and the global motorsport series.
Comment: Jefferson Slack, Aston Martin's managing director of commercial and marketing, said: “Clearly, there's a strategic alliance between the worlds of air travel and Formula One – we will explore that together, as well as look to efficiently manage our global travel footprint. The arrival of Saudia not only underlines the opportunities that Formula One presents to companies on an unprecedented global scale, it also highlights the strength and appeal of the Aston Martin name to like-minded brands looking for unique, collaborative partnership.”
Coming next: The announcement came ahead of this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on 19th March. It also comes shortly after the Saudi government unveiled a new national airline in the form of Riyadh Air, which could soon be seeking out sponsorship opportunities of its own to boost its profile.