Antonov sponsors A1 Team Netherlands

Antonov plc has announced its sponsorship of A1 Team Netherlands. The vehicle automatic transmission specialist enters the sport as a brand new sponsor on the eve of the third A1GP ‘World Cup of Motorsport’ season. Antonov’s corporate identity will be prominently displayed on the nose cone section of the A1GP racecar.

“The majority of our shareholders are based in the Netherlands,” said John Moore chief executive Antonov plc. “Sponsorship of A1 Team Netherlands was a logical choice, particularly with the first race of the season being at the Zandvoort race circuit, where we have previously demonstrated our vehicle technology. Motorsport forms a natural part of the automotive industry and this global sponsorship programme will help us achieve our automotive marketing and business objectives – particularly in China.”

Antonov has previously announced a Chinese project with vehicle manufacturer Geely and has more recently secured a second Chinese programme with component supplier Loncin. Both companies are pursuing the development of six-speed automatic transmission systems that would be manufactured in China employing Antonov technology.

Moore added: “The A1GP series provides Antonov with a global motorsport marketing platform for reaching important automotive growth markets in China and Southeast Asia, where four of the eleven races are held and where VIP hospitality is particularly important for developing a relationship with corporate clients. Clients in this part of the world have an increasing love affair with motorsport and providing corporate hospitality forms an important part of their cultural way of doing business in which socialising and entertainment forms such a very important role.

“In addition, our increasing level of automotive design activity in the UK, where our engineering effort is now based, means that the race at Brands Hatch next year will also be important to us.”

Jan Lammers, A1 Team Netherlands team principal, is very proud to have Antonov on board: “We are honoured to have signed this partnership deal between such a great company and A1 Team Netherlands and make the connection with our hi-tech world of global motor sports. We are both ambitious, on and off track and want to be leading in our field. I’m hoping that this will be the start of a long and very prosperous partnership.”

The first race of the season starts this weekend on Sunday 30 September at Circuit Park Zandvoort. A1 Team Netherlands and all other teams have shipped everything they need from their Silverstone base to Zandvoort, where from 28-30 September the opening round of the third A1GP World Cup of Motorsport season will be held.

On 16 December 2007 and following other races the teams move to the Zhuhai circuit in China and then on the 6 April 2008 to the Shanghai F1 circuit, also in China, which is the fastest growing world market for automatic transmissions and where the Chinese domestic carmakers need their own automotive transmission technology.

On 4 May 2008 the race returns to Brands Hatch in the UK, where Antonov currently is moving into a new technology centre based at Leamington Spa from where it can recruit the high level automotive design engineers it requires.

Of the 22 national teams competing for the A1GP championship, A1 Team Netherlands has been one of the more consistent front-running performers during the first two seasons with two race wins and the team ended season two in 5th position overall.