Williams Racing has announced a new long term partnership with Umbro in which the sports brand will become the official team kit supplier from the 2021 season.
As part of the deal, Umbro’s logo will feature on the front wing end plate of Williams’ F1 car this weekend during the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone. Moreover, this will be the first time since the 1987 British Grand Prix in which Williams and Umbro have partnered together.
Tim Hunt, Commercial and Marketing Director of Williams Racing stated: “We are delighted to be welcoming Umbro back to the Williams commercial family. It’s been a long time since our association in 1987 but in that time, Umbro have established themselves as a globally recognised brand in sport. Both Williams and Umbro have a rich history and proudly sit as iconic British brands who share the same fighting spirit and I am excited by the opportunity that this new partnership brings.”
Sam Lucas, Head of Sports Sponsorship Umbro UK, commented: “We are extremely excited to be back in partnership with Williams Racing. The demands of Formula One go way beyond the cars on track, with performance at the heart of everything. As a brand, Umbro prides itself on producing the best kit to meet the demands of elite sport. With our experience in this area, we are excited to bring this to Williams Racing and play a part in the teams’ pursuit of success.”
“Umbro’s approach has always been a pioneering one, when it comes to the kit we develop. We have a proven track record in performance sports apparel and aim to achieve the same with our recent rugby partnership. This is no different to Williams Racing and their innovation on and off track, so we are looking forward to working together as of next season.”
Additionally, it is not just Williams’ F1 team that is making moves in recent weeks after the manufacturers esports division has been named as one of eight sides selected to feature in the newly-announced V10 R-League.
The competition, which was launched by UK-based esports organisation Gfinity and Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management (ADMM), will be a part of the Global Racing Series as sim-racing looks to take the next step in developing as an esport.