Formula One returned to the streets of Monte-Carlo as teams welcomed fans to the trackside, though, in a limited capacity. At least, it’s a start. The lead up to the race weekend has every fan buzzing, as the crown jewel of Formula 1 takes centre stage after last season’s difficulties that forced the authorities to scrape off the race weekend from the calendar – a first in its glorious history.
But hosting such a grand event without the help of sponsors is next to impossible, so let’s take a look at the sponsors for the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix:
Aramco – Saudi Energy giant Aramco was earlier announced as a new long-term global sponsorship partner of Formula 1 to become its sixth global partner. Formula 1 and Aramco are said to combine their shared expertise to explore every opportunity for the advancement of sustainable fuels. As a global partner, Aramco’s branding appears at track sides, electronic boards and on the pit straights. So far, 15 races have had prominent branding at track sides, including this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix that will result in brand exposure to hundreds of millions of people.
Rolex – The official timekeeper slot for Formula 1 has changed hands many times since Heuer started the procession of timekeeping in the ’70s. Longines took the reins in the ’80s before returning with the rebranded TAG Heuer in the ’90s. Hublot then took over during the 2000s, before Rolex took its place as the official timekeeper for Formula 1 in 2013. Since then, the branding of Rolex can be spotted in every track in the racing calendar, including the Monaco Grand Prix, with its branding showcased at the track sides, the front straight, and the timekeeping sheet.
UBS – UBS is a Swiss multinational investment bank and financial services company founded and based in Switzerland. UBS has been an official sponsor of the Grand Prix de Monaco and a partner of the Automobile Club de Monaco since 2011. The two of them will be celebrating their 10th anniversary this weekend as Formula 1 cars return to the streets of Monaco after a hiatus of one year. Being a proud sponsor of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team, UBS collaborated with Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff to share some of his iconic memories from the track.
Heineken – The Dutch beer giant Heineken, after its successful partnership with the UEFA Champions League, became a global sponsorship partner of Formula One in 2016 in a deal worth US$250 million with an option to extend until 2023. As a part of the agreement, Heineken was given the opportunity to be the title sponsor for three races and hold track branding at six other races in a calendar year. This year’s Monaco Grand Prix is part of those six races that Heineken have track-branding rights for.
TAG Heuer – Since 1968, when the first agreement was signed by Jack Heuer with Swiss driver Jo Siffert, Heuer’s association with Formula 1 has never faltered. More than 50 years have passed since the day when Heuer introduced a series of automatic chronograph wristwatches in honour of the 1969 Monaco Grand Prix. The watch seemed to have finally returned to its roots, when in 2020 it was announced that TAG Heuer will be the official timekeeper of the famous race through the streets of Monte Carlo, Monaco. Despite Rolex’s official timekeeping deal with Formula 1, the Monaco GP is the standalone event where TAG Heuer would be taking the baton from Rolex for a one-off weekend.
Pirelli – Established in 1872, Pirelli is one of the major tyre producers in the world, involved in motorsports since 1907. Pirelli has been the official tyre partner of the Formula One World Championships since 2011. Earlier this month, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and Formula One agreed on a one-year extension with Pirelli. The original deal was signed in 2018 for five years, until the end of the 2023 season. Being the official tyre and global partners of Formula 1, Pirelli has branding exposure at every track, and might also get title sponsorship of a few races this season depending on slot availability.
Casino de Monte Carlo – The Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) was founded in 1863 with the opening of a casino that was the first in Europe. The Casino de Monte Carlo is a flagship casino owned by the SBM. Since being part of the Monaco GP, the business generates around 5-10 percent of its revenue each year from the four-day race weekend.
Zepter – Zepter International is a Swiss consumer goods enterprise. For many years, Zepter International has been the main sponsor of hundreds of sporting events around the world. Zepter started its Formula One journey with the Arrows Team for two seasons as their racing team and main sponsor. In 1999, it joined hands with the Jordan Team. Since then, Zepter has been the main sponsor for the Brazilian Grand Prix (1997-2002), the Canadian Grand Prix (2000-2011), and presently, serves as the main sponsor of the Monaco Grand Prix.