26/06/2013
NEWS STORY
Lotus has announced a new technical partner in the shape of Altran UK, who will provide the team with specialist engineering services for the remainder of the season.
Services will be delivered by a team of Altran UK engineers who will be based on site at the home of team in Enstone. Altran has a distinguished track record in F1, having previously been a technological partner of the Renault – a previous incarnation of Lotus – for a decade.
"We are pleased to again welcome Altran into the family of our Technical Partners," said Patrick Louis, Lotus F1 Team's Chief Executive Officer. "Historically, the contribution of their support has had a tremendous impact on the team’s performance, while their desire to discover and nurture engineering talent fits perfectly with our philosophy. We look forward to re-joining forces in what I am confident will be a mutually rewarding journey."
"Altran is extremely proud to be partnering with Lotus; a Formula 1 outfit with an amazing heritage and development prospects," added Mike Simms, CEO of Altran UK. "This is a partnership built on a shared commitment to engineering excellence, a passion for ground-breaking technological innovation and a desire to win. It is a privilege to be working alongside a Formula 1 team that has based its success on nurturing new talents and creative engineering and management. Altran will bring a wealth of expertise to Lotus F1 Team, enabling its engineers to explore new approaches and solutions to key engineering challenges and translate them into on-track performance."
Meanwhile, Force India has revealed that Varlion, a Madrid-based fashion brand, has joined the team as "Official Lifestyle Partner" as part of a multi-year deal. The partnership will see Varlion produce a licensed range of leisure products. Varlion will also focus on developing a fresh concept for the team’s trackside clothing to be introduced from 2014 season onwards.
The Varlion logo will be visible from this weekend’s British Grand Prix with branding on the garage panels, transporters and team marketing materials. From 2014 the logo will be on team’s race cars, as well as on the uniforms of team personnel.
"It's great news to welcome such a fresh and exciting brand to the team," said Vijay Mallya. "The Varlion clothing range mixes style with practicality and Formula One is the perfect stage to showcase their products. The relationship with Sahara Force India clearly demonstrates Varlion's ambition to expand into international markets, including India, and benefit from the sport's global footprint."
"We are delighted and proud to have agreed a long-term partnership with Sahara Force India," enthused Felix Regalia, Managing Director of Varlion. "Formula One is the perfect environment to test our products and we plan to design and develop new materials to suit the requirements of the trackside team. We pride ourselves on developing elegant, high quality products by drawing on our strong tradition in design and it is our mission to help make Sahara Force India the best dressed team in the pit lane. This far-reaching partnership with such a competitive Formula One team is a clear indication of our determination to establish our brand within the world of motorsport in the years ahead."
Williams, which is celebrating its 600th world championship Grand Prix this weekend is celebrating in style having announced a partnership with one of the world's leading vintage Champagne brands, Dom Perignon.
The partnership will launch with the Williams team and Dom Perignon hosting an exclusive tasting event at Silverstone on Saturday. The event will see a selection of Dom Perignon vintages being tasted by VIP guests along with an explanation of each vintage by Richard Geoffrey, Creator of Vintages at Dom Perignon. Each vintage will also correspond with a key moment in Williams' history, with a host of former Williams World Champions in attendance.
"Williams and Dom Perignon both share rich and prestigious histories," said Geoffrey. "We are both constantly pushing the boundaries to achieve excellence and it is fitting that we should be marking this tremendous milestone with Williams to further enhance what promises to be a highly celebratory weekend for the team."
"We are delighted to be partnering with one of the world's most iconic luxury brands to host a truly unique event within the Formula One paddock," added Claire Williams. "Together we will be looking back at some of our key successes in the world of motorsport and vintage Champagne and I'm sure our guests will enjoy this fusion - raising a glass or two to the longevity and success of the Williams F1 Team."