You wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at Sebastian Vettel or Kimi Raikkonen’s cars, but Scuderia Ferrari apparently still is sponsored by Philip Morris International.
Ferrari announced this weekend that it had extended its deal, which was set to expire after 2017, with Marlboro’s parent company, according to Autoweek.
The Italian Formula One team used to have Marlboro branding on its race cars until the FIA banned tobacco advertisements after the 2006 season. The Scuderia in 2010 had its single-seaters adorned with a barcode livery, which the European Public Health Commissioner claimed was subliminal advertising for Marlboro, and forced the team to remove it.
“The agreement continues the collaboration of over 40 years between Philip Morris International and Scuderia Ferrari,” the team said, via Autoweek.
The fact that Ferrari continually renews its partnership with PMI might not surprise some, as team principal Maurizio Arrivabene formerly was the tobacco firm’s vice president of marketing — in fact, that’s how he formed a relationship with Ferrari. Still, it’s a bit baffling considering the team is forbidden from promoting the products, on or off track.
Thumbnail photo via Flickr/formulanone
