15/02/2019
NEWS STORY
While some still live in hope of a return to the 'good old days' of F1, the days of screaming V12s and snarling V8s, not to mention less aero and manual gearboxes, others are concerned by an altogether different element of the sport's past that appears to be creeping back in via the back door.
At the start of the week, McLaren announced a partnership with British American Tobacco (BAT), the company whose last involvement in the sport was the ill-fated British American Racing team - though not so ill-fated when you consider that over time it, and courtesy of many hundreds of millions of dollars it morphed into Mercedes.
"The multi-year partnership is centred on accelerating BAT's transforming agenda," declared the press release, "leveraging its portfolio of potentially reduced risk products, aiming to deliver the world's tobacco and nicotine consumers a better tomorrow."
Indeed, along with Philip Morris' awkward Mission Winnow rebranding at Ferrari, the BAT move is widely seen as a means of the tobacco giants sneaking back into the sport through the back door, just over a decade after they (and their money) were banned.
Speaking at the launch of his team's 2019 contender, McLaren boss, Zak Brown, defended the deal.
"BAT is an outstanding cooperation that has a long history in motorsports," Brown told reporters.
"Our partnership is one that is technically based with their newer generation products so we don't have any relationship with the tobacco side of the business," he insisted, a disingenuous comment since everyone knows what sort of products that are being promoted and why the tobacco companies are willing to spend big to promote them.
"I think their industry is one that is transforming," he continued, "it's technology driven and there are areas we can help them make the transformation journey around technology and they are a great company to be working with.
"Philip Morris have been with Ferrari for forever," he said, carefully ignoring the numerous McLarens sporting the iconic Marlboro livery that form the main focal point when arriving at his team's HQ, "and BAT has a great history in racing so they understand the power of it and as they move forward on their journey they field that McLaren is a partner they could help.
"The world evolves and changes daily, probably at a faster pace than ever. Their company has changed and has moved on and is moving into new areas and are looking to innovate.
"I think what took place 10, 15 or 20 years ago, the world is a different place," he concluded. "I think their landscape has changed and F1 is a good platform for them."