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Williams Martini Racing puts the stripes back on the grid

Iconic Martini brand returns to Formula One as title partner of the legendary Williams F1 Team.

LONDON, March 6, 2014 — MARTINI, the world’s leading vermouth and best-selling Italian sparkling wine, in partnership with Williams, today announced a multi-year agreement that unites two of the most iconic brands in Formula One racing, creating WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING. The announcement was made during an event held here, as part of the 2014 team launch.

“We are thrilled to welcome MARTINI to the Williams family and officially launch WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING,” said Sir Frank Williams, Founder and Team Principal, Williams. “Williams and MARTINI share a rich history in the world of motorsport, and the values of our two brands and our shared passion for racing make this partnership a natural fit. It will be great to see the distinctive stripes of MARTINI Racing™ return to Formula One™ once again in unison with Williams.”

“The decision to partner with Williams was a natural one for us as it provides an unparalleled opportunity for the MARTINI brand to connect with consumers through one of their lifestyle passions, Formula One racing,” said Andy Gibson, Chief Marketing Officer of Bacardi and President of Bacardi Global Brands, who oversees marketing for MARTINI and other premium brands in the Bacardi portfolio. “MARTINI will give consumers a taste of life in the fast lane, bringing a renewed sense of Italian style and glamour to the track and beyond. WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING provides a powerful, integrated marketing platform and delivers dynamic opportunities that will strengthen the MARTINI brand.”

Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, Williams Martini F1 Team

Photo by: XPB Images

In addition to exclusive naming rights, the iconic MARTINI Racing stripes will adorn the new Williams Mercedes FW36 race car, the drivers’ overalls and crew team kit worn by team personnel and the new WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING motorhome in the paddock, featuring the MARTINI Terrazza – a stylishrooftop destination. Off track, consumers will have a unique opportunity to connect with WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING through compelling race lifestyle content and experiential activations around key races. Promotional, licensed merchandise will be available for fans as the European race season gets underway.

Drivers Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas will steer the on-track performance for WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING. Brazilian-born Massa has enjoyed a successful Formula One career and looks forward to starting his 2014 challenge at the wheel of the all-new FW36 racing car, while Finnish driver Bottas returns to the grid for his second season racing with the team.

The WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING-branded FW36 car will make its race debut on March 16 in Melbourne, Australia, kicking off the 2014 F1™ season. Full-scale consumer and fan activations commence in Barcelona in May, heralding the start of the European race sequence.

The MARTINI brand’s longstanding relationship with motorsport and rich history of both sponsorship and participation in worldwide sporting events began in 1968 with the creation of MARTINI Racing™. This bold and ambitious move resulted in a pioneering sponsorship program that saw MARTINI become one of the first-ever non-motorsport entrants to sponsor a racing team.

MARTINI Racing continued to evolve throughout the 1970s, and it was during this period that the distinctive blue and red livery of MARTINI Racing was created. A pioneering design that emulated the team’s speed and style, the MARTINI livery was a consistent presence throughout the heyday of MARTINI Racing between 1971 and 1996.

In 1972, MARTINI made its first foray into Formula One™, partnering with Tecno™ for a one-year deal, and then returned in 1975 as a partner of the Brabham team, a partnership that continued for three years. From 2006 - 2008, MARTINI was an official partner of Scuderia Ferrari, the most prestigious and successful team in the history of the FIA Formula One World Championship.

With the brand’s return to Formula One™, a new generation will fall in love with the gioia di vivere (the Italian “joy of living”) that MARTINI brings to the world.