Sparco extends for three years at McLaren
Sparco and McLaren will celebrate their 20th anniversary of partnership as the Italian brand has just extended for three years with the British team.
Sparco, the Italian automotive manufacturer specializing in driver accessories – suits, shoes, and steering wheels – arrived in Woking in 1996. Since then, they have renewed their agreement multiple times to reach 20 years of partnership at the end of the newly announced three-year contract.
Nevertheless, it is not an exclusive association since Sparco equips a quarter of the grid because, besides McLaren, its products are also supplied to Caterham and Marussia. In the past, it also provided its suits to Williams before being replaced by Puma at the end of the 2011 season.
We can note that while the agreement with McLaren is long-term, Sparco does not enjoy the most exposed placement, as its name only appears on the belt of Jenson Button and Sergio Pérez’s suits. In contrast, with its other F1 clients, it has been able to place its name on the drivers’ shoulders, allowing it to appear on television and in photographs during driver interviews. Furthermore, Sparco does not have a monopoly on safety equipment. The shoes used by the Woking drivers are supplied by Alpinestars.
Aldino Bellazzini, the president of Sparco, explains the interest for his company to be present in F1: « Our partnership with leading teams like Vodafone McLaren Mercedes allows us to work with the best drivers, engineers, and mechanics in global motorsport. This close relationship enables us to innovate and provide the best technology, which increases safety and enhances performance. »
With the participation of www.Racingbusiness.fr
