Petrov, Lada & the Russian Government

[FB]

Following on from the Argentine governments direct backing of Lopez at USF1 (don't they all look silly now)Vitaly Petrov appears to have direct backing of the Russian government, albeit via a Lada sponsorship deal at Renault.

"It is possible we will increase our sponsorship role in the future," Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said earlier this week.

So the future of F1 drivers now seems to lie in the hands of politicians. Let's hope Petrov does well otherwise he may find himself down a Siberian salt mine

You also have to wonder what Lada will get out of having their name plastered all over a Renault F1 car. I suppose there is precedent, Tata sponsor Ferrari and Leyland sponsored Williams although Tata have a consultancy group to promote and it was Leyland trucks which backed Williams.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8549995.stm
http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/formula-1-news/229196/putin-backs-lada-sponsorship-of-renault-f1/

 

[bogaTYR]

hmmm... you are aware that lada is 25% owned by renault? also, lada is preparing a serious re entrance in the european car market.

and since they showed with the revolution 3 there is no way lada can come up with anything even slightly interesting or competitive themselves, this seems like the only option left. even though the revolution 3 uses a renault engine.

http://www.tuningnews.net/event_gallery ... y-concept/

 

[FB]

you are aware that lada is 25% owned by renault?

I wasn't Boga, but I am now; just read on Wiki the other 75% is owned by a Russian state company Rostekhnologia. It explains a lot and further explains why Petrov got the drive.

 

[bogaTYR]

exactly. so its not at all a surprising situation. when i was in moscow a few says ago, there was no talking about putin but it had all to do with the renault linkup and the relaunch of lada in europe.

 

[Galahad]

F1 is rife with this sort of thing. You mention Leyland on the early Williams', when the rest of the car was essentially owned by the Saudi government!

McLaren is substantially owned by the Bahraini royal family; Ferrari by Mubadala (can't remember where they're from, alas - Dubai?) Jordan were sponsored by "Ireland", Stewart by "Malaysia" (and now Lotus too, of course).

Now, if only there was some government-owned industry in Britain, hmm... How about the Post Office paying for a drive for Anthony Davidson?

 

[siffert_fan]

Gordon Murray,

Thanks for the information. That goes a long way towards explaining why so many races are moving to the Middle East!

 

[cider_and_toast]

Stewart by "Malaysia" (and now Lotus too, of course).

And lets not forget that Malaysia also sponsored Minardi and chucked a lot of cash the teams way when they were running Alex Yoong. Remember the "Go KL" Sponsorship logos?

 

[Cancer Cowboy]

http://www.tuningnews.net/event_gallery ... y-concept/

Thats a Lada?