“This is an innovative partnership that will see a football club link up with
an F1 team like never before, bringing together two of the world’s biggest
sports and uniting our fans,” Gourlay said.
“We felt that this Swiss team, the fourth oldest of the existing teams, reflects
our own ideals perfectly.
“In a year when Chelsea celebrates 20 seasons as a Premier League team, Sauber
does so as an F1 team.
“This partnership will benefit us both greatly, with the potential to create
unique commercial opportunities. It is a shared vision to unite the two most
attractive sports in the world.”
Chelsea’s statement added that the partnership would focus on ways to “enhance
sporting and business performance”.
“This includes the exchange of knowledge in sport science, launching joint commercial
initiatives, merchandising, events, marketing and linked sponsorship
opportunities,” it said.
Sauber confirmed that “both partners will support each other by featuring the
other partner’s logo and thus benefit from a significant market presence
outside their original sport.”
A ‘Welcome Chelsea FC’ logo will appear on the car at testing in Mugello over
the next three days, with the official partnership launch to take place at
next week’s Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.