Lotus has lost one of its largest sponsors in the form of consumer giant Unilever, which has switched from the Enstone outfit to one just down the road.
The Williams FW37 will now feature Unilever’s Rexona – known as Sure in the United Kingdom – branding on its sidepods, front-wing and front-wishbones.
The team has enjoyed a resurgent season in which it finished third in the constructors’ championship compared with ninth last season, whilst Lotus has fallen from fourth in 2013 to eighth this year.
Speaking about the decision to partner with Williams, Rexona’s global brand VP Santiago Iturralde said: “As the number one global top performance deodorant brand we are delighted to announce this partnership with Williams Martini Racing. Formula One exudes performance and is a captivating sport for millions of our consumers worldwide.
“The adrenaline, stress, temperature and movement that the drivers, team and fans experience during a Formula One race undoubtedly make them sweat. This is the ultimate torture test for a deodorant – and Rexona won’t let you down.”
Furthermore Williams Advanced Engineering, the technology and engineering services business of the Williams Group, will be working with Unilever to provide support in the areas of sustainability and efficiency.
Claire Williams, deputy team principal, added: “We’re delighted to be partnering with a company of Unilever’s global stature in what is a long term collaboration. Williams has a history of partnering with consumer brands to elevate their global reach and we will be using the full range of marketing tools afforded by Formula One and Williams to help Unilever and Rexona achieve their goals.
“We both have a commitment to sustainability and we will be sharing Williams Advanced Engineering’s growing expertise in energy efficient technologies to jointly tackle this important issue.”
