Vodafone drops Ferrari for McLaren Mercedes

It is interesting to see what 1 season can do in the world of sports. Europe based telecom giant Vodafone has decided to change its sponsored team from Ferrari to McLaren Mercedes. Ferrari had a terrible season last year, which saw the title being competed by McLaren and Renault. Vodafone was one of the biggest sponsors for Ferrari and from 2007; they would be sponsoring the Mercedes car.

This announcement comes just weeks after they decided to stop sponsoring English Soccer giants Manchester United. Vodafone announced that they have signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with McLaren Mercedes that will begin in 2007. This deal would also see the team being renamed Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and marks a big change for both the companies.

Vodafone has also announced that they would be offering its third-generation (3G) phone customers a range of Formula One content. This would include racing news updates, test results, team biographies, games, videos, ringtones, wallpapers, and screensavers. Vodafone’s Chief Marketing Officer Peter Bamford said in a statement about their latest decision: “The new agreement delivers a fantastic marketing platform; the associative rights we acquire as a result of this new sponsorship provide us with additional opportunities to continue to raise brand awareness, build brand preference, and drive revenue.”

The two companies have released no financial details but Ferrari was rumored to be getting sponsorship worth USD 40 million per year.