24/11/2021
NEWS STORY
Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN will continue one of the most distinctive relationships in F1 as the team and Polish giant PKN ORLEN extend their title partnership for a third consecutive year.
ORLEN, a leader in the field of fuel and lubricants with a growing presence in several Eastern and Central European markets, has been a partner of Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN since 2020, with its brand added to the team's entry name and its distinctive logo, featuring the ORLEN eagle, adorning the livery of the Swiss team's cars.
The partnership between ORLEN and the team has extended beyond the race track and into novel territory in the two years spent together so far. The team's 2021 contender, the C41, was launched in the magnificent setting of the National Theatre in Warsaw - the first time an F1 car was unveiled in Poland - and the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN racers have been a key element of a rich activation programme deployed by ORLEN across Poland and other countries, not least in its extensive chain of petrol stations.
This programme, as well as the presence of national hero Robert Kubica, who is returning in his role as Reserve Driver for the team, is sure to boost interest from fans, which is already at sky-high levels: to strengthen this positive feeling, the team and ORLEN are planning an even more exciting range of activities for their supporters, to be delivered throughout the length of the partnership.
2022, of course, will also represent a fresh start for the team and ORLEN on track: the new regulations will reset the power balance in the battle for the championship standings and the team is confident its early decision to devote all its energies and development focus on the new season will pay off, lifting this partnership to new heights as the on-track results improve.
"We are delighted to extend our successful partnership with PKN ORLEN into its third year," said Frederic Vasseur. "ORLEN are an instantly recognisable brand in a vast and growing market and they have proven a loyal supporter of the team; their presence underlines and reinforces our resolve to be one of the most attractive teams in the sport for global brands.
"Most importantly, we share a commitment to constant improvement, whether on track or in their business, and we are determined to keep growing together. Their activation campaign has been of the first order, reaching fans all over Europe and expanding access to the team and the world of Formula One and we can't wait to unveil the next stages in this programme."
"We operate globally and so we must be active in all areas, including planning marketing and sponsoring initiatives," added Daniel Obajtek, President of the Management Board of PKN ORLEN. "The competition on the F1 track is broadcast by 99 televisions, and the total audience, according to research carried out by the Nielsen studio, reaches as many as 400 million viewers. The media equivalent for the ORLEN brand from TV broadcast only until November 2021 amounted to over PLN 550 million. Therefore, involvement in cooperation with Robert Kubica and the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN team is a strategic investment for us.
"As a company with an international reach, we have successfully built a common platform for conducting marketing activities in many markets in which we conduct our business. This paid off, the ORLEN Group recorded a net profit of PLN 2.9 billion in the third quarter of 2021 and increased its market share in Slovakia and the Czech Republic."