21-Dec-09: Mercedes Sign Petronas as Title Sponsor

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Welcome to F1 Minute, it’s the 21st December 2009.

It is Christmas week, and you would think the news would be dying down a little bit. Um, no. Today, Mercedes GP confirmed they were bringing Petronas back to Formula 1 as their title sponsor. The Malaysian oil company was previously involved with the BMW team and had been rumoured to get involved with Lotus – thanks to the Malaysia connection – but it is Mercedes who will get the branding. There’s even a livery concept floating round the web, released by the team, and it’s… well, it’s grey and green. Hmm.

Elsewhere, F1 organisers in Rome have said they agreed a deal with Bernie that he will help them get a race on the calendar. Apparently the written confirmation says that Bernie will support the GP in Rome, and whilst it’s good to get the FOM boss on your side, they don’t have approval from any of the governments or the FIA. Plans look to be for 2012 at the moment.

That’s all for now, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.