Mercedes F1 sponsor unfazed by Hamilton's exit, eyes new opportunities

SINGAPORE — German tech company TeamViewer does not anticipate a reduction in marketing value from their partnership with the Mercedes-AMG Formula One team, despite ace driver Lewis Hamilton ending his contract with the team.

The seven-time world champion announced that he has decided to join Scuderia Ferrari in 2025, where he will replace Carlos Sainz, marking the end of his 11-year stint with Mercedes.

TeamViewer, a software company for remote connectivity, entered into a five-year partnership with Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team in 2021. The deal aimed to showcase technology in the high-performance environment of Formula One racing.

TeamViewer CEO Oliver Steil said that when the company signed a contract with Mercedes in 2021, it was unclear how long Hamilton would stay with the team, and they were surprised he remained with them for this long.

"But what is key for the brand is the Mercedes technology and the interesting part of the story. Of course, Lewis is a big brand. But if you look at it, there is a new young driver coming in. How does that play out? It's also super interesting," Steil added.

The German racing team is set to replace Hamilton with 18-year-old Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who will race alongside 26-year-old George Russell starting in the 2025 season.

TeamViewer is now looking forward to building a relationship with Antonelli and exploring opportunities to involve him in their activities.

Its partnership with Mercedes has been multifaceted, extending beyond mere logo placement on the cars and drivers' suits. It has involved integration of TeamViewer's remote access and support solutions into Mercedes' day-to-day operations, both at the factory and trackside.

After Hamilton announced his exit from Mercedes, the team is set to lose its partnerships with clothing brands Puma and Tommy Hilfiger, which are closely associated with Hamilton and bring in £6 million per year to the team.

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The trip to Singapore was hosted by TeamViewer to showcase their products and innovation. At no stage does the host organization have a say on the stories generated from the coverage, interviews conducted, publication date and story treatment. Content is produced solely by Philstar.com following editorial guidelines.