UPS joins Ferrari as new F1 team sponsor

MANILA, Philippines - UPS recently announced the expansion of its sponsorships in motorsports by entering Formula 1 racing through a multi-year sponsorship of Scuderia Ferrari. The alliance was announced today in Barcelona, Spain and featured Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso, shortly before the Spaniard took the track for the first time in the team’s 2013 F138 race car bearing the UPS shield.

As part of the sponsorship, UPS will have significant visibility as Ferrari competes in the Formula 1 World Championship across the globe in 19 countries from Australia in March to Brazil in November. The UPS shield will be visible on the Ferrari F138 cars driven by Alonso and teammate Felipe Massa, on their racing overalls, as well as the team’s fleet of transporters and trackside equipment. In addition, UPS will implement a comprehensive activation program across the organization on a global scale.

UPS also becomes the Official Logistics and Shipping Sponsor for Ferrari and will become fully integrated into the company’s daily operations by providing critical and complex delivery and transportation services.

Scuderia Ferrari, founded in 1947, is the most recognized name in racing and is also its most successful. Ferrari is the only team to have competed in the Formula 1 World Championship continuously since its inception in 1950 and holds nearly every Formula 1 record.

“We are extremely pleased to have UPS on board as our new Partner, as they are one of the most successful and recognized brands worldwide,” said Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Stefano Domenicali. “Excellence, innovation and precision are critical across every process within the team. Working with an organization that has the global reach and scale of UPS, and that also shares these values, will allow us to jointly explore and implement ways to improve operations and increase efficiency across the team.”

“We are excited to join Ferrari and be a part of their racing organization,” said Christine Owens, UPS senior vice president, communications and brand management at the signing of the long-term agreement at Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello, Italy. “UPS has been involved in motorsports for more than 12 years. Expanding our involvement into Formula 1 with one of the world’s most recognizable racing teams brings together two worldwide brands that have rich histories and cultures as well as a track record of unmatched commitment to excellence.

“Both UPS and Ferrari constantly strive to develop and implement new technologies, using speed and efficiency to go beyond what’s expected,” Owens said. “Being a part of Scuderia Ferrari helps reinforce the UPS brand globally, positively impacting our business both on and off the track, and by investing in key growth markets around the world.”

The announcement is a further expansion of UPS’s global sponsorship platform, which includes successful involvement with NASCAR, the NCAA, professional golf, and the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.