Mercedes have extended their title sponsorship and technical agreement with Petronas with a multi-year contract that takes the team into Formula 1’s next era of engine regulations.
The brand has been on the F1 grid since 1994 as an engine manufacturer, and currently supplies four teams. One of those is the factory Mercedes team, which have had Petronas as their title sponsor and fuel supplier since they became a full constructor in 2010.
During that time the team have won 115 races and been crowned world champions eight times, in addition to running the championship-winning driver seven times.
The announcement of an extended Petronas partnership not only guarantees the team will be on the grid until at least 2029, but also is encouraging news for the series as another petroleum producer has publicly committed to the sustainability targets that F1 wants its fuels to meet in 2026 and beyond.
“Today we are doing something a little bit unusual – announcing a partnership that will begin in four years’ time,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
“This sends an important message: our team and Petronas are no longer just partners, we are family, and we will be one team for many more years to come.
“From 2026, advanced sustainable fuel will be at the heart of F1 performance – and this gives us a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate our expertise in this domain, through both the power unit and Petronas Fluid Technology Solutions. We are excited to be racing into the future alongside Petronas, with the ambition to set the standard once again, in our on-track performance and by pioneering the transition of a global sports team to a net-zero future.”
The FIA’s target is “50% electrification” for power units and “100% advanced sustainable fuel” by 2026. F1 is currently working with Aramco on sustainably-sourced fuel which can be introduced before then in Formula 2 and other junior series as a technical proving ground.
Datuk Sazali Hamzah, chief executive officer of Petronas Downstream, said: “With our longstanding partnership and extensive experience in formulating the Fluid Technology Solutions for the team, Petronas is fully equipped with the capacity and capabilities to perfect the technology to produce and supply 100% advanced sustainable fuel for the next-generation power units.”
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2023 F1 season
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