PressClub Canada · Article.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Gauteng Official Partner
Tue Mar 17 17:15:00 CET 2009 Press Release
The BMW Sauber F1 Team will go into the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship with another new Official Partner. The GO-GP.ORG logo will travel with the team around the world as an invitation to the Gauteng Province in South Africa.
Press Contact.
Barb Pitblado
BMW Group
Tel: +1-905-428-5005
Fax: +1-905-428-5086
send an e-mail
Author.
Barb Pitblado
BMW Group
Munich/Hinwil/Johannesburg, 17th March 2009. The BMW Sauber F1 Team will go
into the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship with another new Official
Partner. The GO-GP.ORG logo will travel with the team around the world as an
invitation to the Gauteng Province in South Africa.
Gauteng Province is an economic hub of South Africa, contributing to 35% of the
countrys GDP and 10% of the African continents GDP. The province offers a
divers range of opportunities from, tourism, commerce, investment, an
established Automotive Manufacturing industry and a new motorsports lifestyle
and development initiative. It is gearing itself toward becoming a knowledge
economy concentrating on growing the sectors of Integrated Computer Technology
(ICT), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Bio-Technology.
Gauteng has a history of hosting the South African Formula One Grand Prix and
other premium international sport events. The domain name GO-GP.ORG acts as
portal for grand prix fans, tourists and investors to access the provinces
exciting offerings and at the same time become part of a new international
Grand Prix Membership Club.
I am delighted to welcome another long-term partner on board, said BMW
Motorsport Director Mario Theissen, and added: In addition to its business
links with South Africa through the plant in Rosslyn, Gauteng, BMW also has an
emotional connection with the country thanks to motorsport. It was at the South
African Grand Prix in 1983 that Nelson Piquet wrapped up the Drivers World
Championship in a Brabham BMW.
The Rosslyn plant near Pretoria was the first location opened outside Germany
by what is now the BMW Group. A workforce of around 2,300 produces up to 250
units of the BMW 3 Series here every day. A quarter of these cars are earmarked
for the South African market, while the remainder are built for export.
The Gauteng Motorsport Company manages the Gauteng Provincial Governments
promotion through international motorsport that extends beyond the new
partnership with the BMW Sauber F1 Team. The company will organise and promote
the 6th round of the World Superbike Championship (BMW Motorrad has entered in
2009) at Kyalami in May.
GO-GP.ORG lettering will be visible on the front wing endplates and nose
section of the F1.09, as well as on the drivers helmets and overalls, team
clothing, pit equipment and team trucks. In addition to the F1 project, the
partnership extends to two other competitions in the BMW Motorsport portfolio.
GO-GP.ORG will also be displayed on the BMW 320si WTCC racer in the FIA World
Touring Car Championship, as well as on the pit equipment, trucks and BMW works
drivers overalls. Plus, every car in the three Formula BMW junior series
around the world will carry the lettering, as will the overalls of the young
drivers and the pit equipment.
The Gauteng Motorsport Company has fused both promotional objectives of the
Gauteng Province and that of its Grand Prix motorsport lifestyle and
development initiatives. Go Gauteng Province, Go - Grand Prix.
Mandla Nkomfe, Member of Executive Committee of Economic Development and
Finance, explained: This exciting new partnership carries our messages to the
world and further compliments our long-term motorsport strategy. We are setting
out to build the profile of Gauteng Province as an attractive location for
investors, industry and tourism. This partnership has further far reaching
benefits beyond a traditional F1 Team Partnership and we will be working
closely with BMW and our other motor sport partners to restore the prominence
of South Africa in Formula One and our local motor sport industry.
There are plans to hold demonstration runs with a BMW Sauber F1 Team car and
the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers in Gauteng over the course of this summer.
For further information please visit:
www.go-gp.org
www.press.bmw-motorsport.com (media website)
www.bmw-sauber-f1.com (official team website)