Petrobras & Williams Sign Technology Partnership Agreement

Petrobras President Graca Foster and Claire Williams, deputy principal of the Formula 1 team, signed a new agreement in Rio de Janeiro.

Petrobras and the Williams team are back together in Formula 1. Maria das Gracas Silva Foster and deputy team principal and commercial director of Williams, Claire Williams, signed a new technology partnership agreement at Petrobras headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. Collaboration between Williams and Petrobras goes back a long way. When the team began using the company’s fuel in 1998, their partnership lasted for 11 years. From 2009 to 2013, Petrobras continued its involvement in motorsport through its sponsorship of the Petrobras Brazilian Grand Prix and Formula 1 broadcasts on TV Globo.

Technical collaboration with Williams is now set to continue, with the participation of Mercedes, to develop new automotive fuels and lubricants for the team to use in the 2015 season. When the new rules for engines are brought in, setting higher fuel-efficiency standards, Petrobras’ experience will guarantee that Williams is well-placed to satisfy the high energy efficiency requirements set for the competition. This year the Williams team includes Brazilian Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas from Finland.

For Petrobras, over and above the technological challenges, Formula 1 represents an opportunity to increase its brand visibility and publicize its product quality and leading-edge technology. The company’s logo will appear on the side of the Williams FW36 and on the team’s clothing and surroundings. Petrobras has been a Formula 1 sponsor since 2009, as well as sponsoring the Petrobras Brazilian Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Petrobras President Maria das Gracas Silva Foster commemorated the company’s new sponsorship deal with the Formula 1 team: “We are very happy to return to the world’s leading motorsport competition. During our 11-year partnership with Williams, we made significant progress in product development, producing our Podium gasoline. Participating in this competition is an enormous challenge, forcing us to ready ourselves for the highest standards of quality and efficiency required by Formula 1. We are keen to get started on this new challenge.”

Frank Williams, founder and manager of the Williams team, also commented on the new agreement: "Petrobras and Williams have already enjoyed a successful partnership in the past, and we are all looking forward to getting together again in 2014. They are technologically very competent and this will be a key factor for the team, in view of the new rules setting more stringent fuel-efficiency standards. They are also a very ambitious global company and we are looking forward to working together in promoting their marketing objectives."

Petrobras Motorsport Program

The Petrobras Motorsport Program was created to develop and test Petrobras products under extreme conditions with the aim of bringing further benefits to consumers. Since 1996, Petrobras has been the sole supplier of Formula Truck fuels and lubricants and has sponsored the Petrobras Seletiva de Kart since 1999. The Company also sponsors Baja SAE, a competition to encourage young Brazilian automotive technology professionals, and Formula SAE, already well-established on the university circuit, and requiring students to build a competition vehicle with engines up to 610 cc.

In April 2012, Petrobras got together with Mitsubishi Motors do Brasil, and since then has been sponsoring the Mitsubishi Petrobras team competing on the world’s main rally circuits. Petrobras also supports the 1000cc MotoGP, aimed training and developing and Brazilian professional riders, as well as developing motorcycle lubricants. Petrobras is the official supplier of fuel and lubricants for Copa Petrobras de Marcas, a competition arena for off-road motorcycles developed by various manufacturers.

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