Ferrari enters ‘new phase’ of 50-year-old deal in landmark extension

Ferrari has announced an extension of its half-century-old sponsorship with tobacco company Philip Morris International, going beyond its Formula 1 endeavours.

PMI will sponsor the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli alongside its long-time collaboration with the Scuderia, with the logo of the company’s ZYN nicotine alternative product to appear on Ferrari’s SF-25 car in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

Ferrari extends long-standing partnership with PMI

Tobacco companies had been staples of Formula 1 advertising in years gone by, but direct tobacco advertising has long been banned in Formula 1, with the practice having been outlawed in 2006.

Despite the ban, PMI has remained a partner of Ferrari and advertised its smoke-free products, among other ventures that do not contravene Formula 1’s ban on tobacco advertising.

The renewal of this deal marks what Ferrari calls a “new phase” of this long-standing partnership, with any new initiatives to “adhere to strict principles of responsibility and be directed exclusively at an adult audience.”

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Lorenzo Giorgetti, Chief Racing Revenue Officer at Ferrari, said: “Ferrari has always valued partnerships built on innovation, responsibility and a vision oriented toward continuous improvement, with a forward-looking mindset.

“Our renewed collaboration with PMI is a concrete expression of this approach and continues a relationship that has lasted for over fifty years, grounded in scientific progress and a long-term perspective.

“As PMI advances the development of smoke-free alternatives, we are proud to evolve together, uniting our shared values of excellence, discipline and innovation to drive progress both on and off the track.”

Ferrari is not the only team with commercial news of late, with Mercedes having announced a new partnership with Pepsico on Tuesday, bringing its Gatorade, Sting and Doritos brand into the Formula 1 paddock for the first time.

At the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Red Bull took part in a Formula 1 first with their one-race sponsorship from fast food giants, McDonald’s, while Formula 1 itself ramped up its new sponsorship deal with Disney with activity having taken place at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

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