MotoGP: Movistar Is Yamaha’s Title Sponsor
Cycle News Staff | March 5, 2014
What’s been rumored for months is finally official: The factory Yamaha MotoGP team of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo will be sponsored by Spanish telecommunications company Movistar with the team set to be known as Movistar Yamaha MotoGP.
The team will show off its logo and livery on Wednesday, March 19 in Losail, Qatar – just prior to the opening round of the MotoGP World Championship.
The team will also retain its Monster sponsorship – which is one year into a two-year agreement. There’s no doubt, however, that Movistar is the title sponsor and they will be so for the next five years.
With MotoGP going to a pay-per-view TV package in Spain, this is Movistar’s way of promoting the broadband services end of the deal.
“This is a big day for the sport,” said Lin Jarvis, the managing director of Yamaha Motor Racing. “We are delighted to be able to welcome the Movistar brand back into the world of MotoGP in such spectacular fashion. Dedicated fans of motorcycle racing will know that Movistar has a strong history in the sport, and in the past they supported many talented young riders who later evolved to be the top stars in the MotoGP class. We are therefore honored that they chose Yamaha as their partner to re-enter motorcycle racing.
“The five-year partnership provides an incredibly stable platform for both parties to fully exploit the relationship and make plans not just in the short-term but also strategically over a longer period. Their long-term commitment is also a strong sign of confidence in the sport and provides reassurance to the other sponsors and partners involved with our team. We also believe the activation and promotion that Movistar will bring will also help to raise awareness and interest in our championship from brands not yet involved in MotoGP. The Movistar announcement is the last and most significant of our planned sponsor agreements for this season. We are delighted to have such a full portfolio of premium brands now onboard with us as we make final preparations for our 2014 title challenge campaign.”
Lorenzo also likes the idea of Movistar returning to MotoGP.
“I am so happy with this announcement and the arrival of such a big, key sponsor as Movistar,” Lorenzo said. “This is an enormous partner that is not just Spanish like me, but also that shares a big history in the past of the motorsport, especially in motorcycling. Now they’re back in MotoGP and more importantly, they have made a perfect marriage with Yamaha. It’s great to see such an important company as Movistar make a return to motorcycle racing with such a large scale sponsoring activity. I know we can have a great journey battling for the championship alongside them and looking into the future we will do a great job together to achieve loads of success. Welcome Movistar again to this amazing sport that we love, and of course welcome to the Yamaha family.”
