Formula One: Williams and Martini to end sponsorship deal
By Asher Fair
Following the 2018 Formula One season, Williams and Martini are set to end their sponsorship deal after five seasons of sponsoring the team.
The Williams Martini Racing Formula One team have been sponsored by Martini, the Italy-based alcoholic beverage company, since the 2014 season. However, they are not set to sponsor the team for much longer — 21 races to be exact.
Williams team principal Claire Williams broke the news that following the conclusion of the 21-race 2018 Formula One season, which is set to be Martini’s fifth season as a sponsor of the team, their sponsorship deal with the United Kingdom-based team will come to an end and they will leave the sport entirely.
Here is what Williams had to say about the matter, according to Motorsport.com.
"“We have discussed extending beyond 2018. While we would both like to do so, the Bacardi Group have told us that they will step away entirely from Formula 1 when our contract expires at the end of this year. They have many brands to support and obviously their strategic priorities evolve over time.”"
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Set to drive for Williams Martini Racing in the 2018 Formula One season are Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin.
Stroll, 19, drove for the team in the 2017 Formula One season, which was his rookie season, and he finished in 12th place in the drivers standings with seven top 10 finishes in 20 races and a top finish of 3rd place in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Sirotkin, 22, is set to make his Formula One debut for the team this season as the replacement for 36-year-old Felipe Massa, who announced his retirement from Formula One at the beginning of last November before officially retiring from Formula One following the conclusion of the 2017 season.
Massa finished in a 10th place tie in the drivers standings last season with Renault Sport’s Nico Hulkenberg. Massa recorded 13 top 10 finishes throughout the 20-race season and top finishes of 6th place in the Australian Grand Prix and the Bahrain Grand Prix.
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Despite the fact that Martini are set to end their sponsorship deal with Williams Martini Racing following the conclusion of the 2018 Formula One season, Williams still likely won’t be hurting financially. Lawrence Stroll, who is Lance Stroll’s father, is a multi-billionaire who spent $80 million just to get his son a ride for the team last season. Meanwhile, team newcomer Sergey Sirotkin is backed by the Russian-based SMP Racing.