F1 Teams Strengthen Ahead Of New Season

With less than two weeks to go until the start of the new Formula One season, teams have been busy reinforcing their sponsorship portfolios – with Sahara Force India, Lotus and HRT all announcing new partnerships.

The Sahara Force India team has signed fashion brand Hackett as an official supplier for the 2012 season, who will provide team members with travel kit, beginning with the trip to Melbourne for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The team revealed that the London-based firm will use the deal to promote its expansion into international markets, especially India.

Hackett sponsored Team Lotus in its first season in 2010, who have themselves announced a new deal – signing California-based software solutions company iRise as a technical partner.

The agreement also sees Lotus, formerly the Renault team, become a strategic partner for iRise’s executive roundtable series. 

The two companies will collaborate on an event at this year’s Monaco Grand Prix.

Meanwhile the HRT team, despite failing to have its new car ready for the final day of pre-season testing, has confirmed a new sponsor.

Degreaser product manufacturer KH-7 will have its logos on the car as well as the overalls of drivers Pedro de la Rosa and Narain Karthikeyan.

The 2012 Formula One season begins in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday 18th March.