Manchester United Selects Tezos As Official Blockchain And Training Kit Partner

Manchester United has today announced a landmark multi-year partnership which will see Tezos, one of the world’s most advanced and sustainable blockchains, featured on the Club’s range of men’s and women’s training kits.

Tezos-branded training kit will be worn by the first team squad for the first time prior to this weekend’s match against Southampton, introducing Manchester United fans to the partnership and Web3 technology through the Tezos blockchain.

“This is a hugely exciting partnership for Manchester United because it aligns us with one of the most advanced, reliable and sustainable blockchains.”

Tezos is at the forefront of the global blockchain revolution which allows for fast, secure and efficient digital interactions without the need for intermediaries.

Find out more about Tezos via this new video on Manchester United’s YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZGhBh5o6Xs

An original proof-of-stake blockchain, Tezos was built with an energy-efficient design that allows it to operate in a cleaner and more environmentally friendly way than other blockchains.

Tezos is also different to other blockchains in that it can seamlessly evolve, with regular updates designed and approved by its global community of users and developers.

Victoria Timpson, Manchester United’s CEO of Alliances and Partnerships, said: “This is a hugely exciting partnership for Manchester United because it aligns us with one of the most advanced, reliable and sustainable blockchains in an area of technology which promises to truly revolutionise the way that everyone, including the Club and our fans, can interact.

“We are especially pleased to be partnering with one of the most eco-friendly blockchains, using technology that is energy-efficient, limits carbon emissions and lowers costs, consistent with the Club’s wider efforts to promote environmental sustainability.

“Tezos will enable Manchester United to use blockchain and Web3 to transform fan, player, team, and partner engagement.”

“Partnerships are at the core of our strength as a club, supporting the drive for success on the pitch, and we are delighted to welcome Tezos as the latest industry leader to join our family of partners.”

Edward Adlard, Head of Adoption and Business Development, Tezos Ecosystem said: “Throughout its history, Manchester United has constantly evolved, with the support of its huge and diverse global community of fans and partners. Tezos will enable Manchester United to use blockchain and Web3 to transform fan, player, team, and partner engagement.

“The decision by the world’s greatest football club to select Tezos as its blockchain of choice is further validation that thoughtful design paired with strong security, low gas fees, and community-led innovation are the essential factors driving the next wave of adoption in the new digital revolution.”

In addition to the Tezos branding on the Club’s training kit, the partnership will also include several new fan experiences built on the Tezos blockchain and a pledge to support Manchester United Foundation with ongoing donations in tez, the native currency of the Tezos blockchain,to train, educate and inspire young people within the local community.

Munich To Stage First-Ever Regular Season Game In Germany; Frankfurt Also To Host Future Games

The National Football League today confirmed that Munich has been chosen to stage the first-ever regular-season game in Germany during the 2022 season.

Following a competitive application process, FC Bayern Munich Stadium, the home of the Bundesliga champions, was selected as the venue for two of the four International Series games to be played in Germany over the next four years. Frankfurt Stadium will also host two games.

“We are very pleased to welcome Munich and Frankfurt to the NFL family and are excited to reward our fans in Germany for their passion by bringing them the spectacle of regular-season NFL football,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “We look forward to staging our first game in Germany at FC Bayern Munich’s fantastic stadium later this year and to exploring areas of broader collaboration with the Bundesliga.”

The game in Munich will be one of five international games staged by the NFL in 2022, including one in Mexico and three in the UK – two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a Jacksonville Jaguars home game at Wembley Stadium. Home teams for international games will be announced in the coming weeks, with dates and matchups to be confirmed in conjunction with the 2022 NFL schedule announcement later this year.

Dieter Reiter, Lord Mayor of Munich, said: “We are very pleased to welcome the NFL International Series to Munich. It is a great honor for the state capital Munich to be the first German city to stage a regular-season NFL game. Many Munich residents are big football fans and they will be thrilled that this spectacular sporting event is coming to their city.”

“We have been collaborating with the NFL since 2014 when we opened our US office,” said Oliver Kahn, CEO of FC Bayern Munich. “Our ambition was to reach and engage fans in each other’s respective home countries. We are delighted to take this next step in our long-term partnership to host a regular-season NFL game at our home stadium.”

Frankfurt Sports Councilor Mike Josef said: “American football was and still is at home in Frankfurt. That’s why I’m very pleased about the NFL’s decision to come to Frankfurt on a regular basis. The NFL is not just coming to Frankfurt for a game. With its sustainable engagement in our community, we are sure to achieve a great boost for sports in Frankfurt. We are looking forward to working with the NFL.”

Axel Hellman, CEO of Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt, said: “We are totally excited to be hosting two matches in the next years here in Frankfurt. Welcome to Eintracht Frankfurt. Welcome to the heart of Europe.”

Bundesliga CEO Donata Hopfen said: “We are pleased that the NFL has consulted with the Bundesliga in the planning of its first regular-season NFL games in Germany. These conversations have led both leagues to agree to explore the potential of a mutually beneficial collaborative partnership, which is very exciting for clubs in both leagues.”

The selection process for NFL games in Germany began last year with initial expressions of interest from nine cities, after which Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich were invited to participate in a full evaluation of the opportunities offered by each city. The partnerships between the NFL and Munich and Frankfurt include a joint commitment to deliver fan engagements activities, community participation programs and other NFL initiatives.

“We are looking forward to partnerships with Munich and Frankfurt that will extend beyond the games and help us to deliver accelerated growth in Germany,” said Brett Gosper, NFL Head of Europe and UK. “The strong interest we received underlined what a fantastic opportunity regular-season games offer for a host, ranging from significant economic benefits and global exposure to the chance to become a hub for the growth of the NFL’s fan engagement, community and grassroots activities.

“We also thank Düsseldorf, which presented a strong aligned consortium with ambitious plans. We look forward to developing a partnership there, with a potential for hosting games in the future.”

The staging of regular-season games is part of the NFL’s growing commitment to Germany. The League has recently appointed Alexander Steinforth as its dedicated general manager for the territory and is committed to establishing a permanent headquarters in the country. It has also committed to investing in grassroots and community programs in Germany.

In December, the NFL announced that four NFL teams – Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – have been granted access to Germany for marketing, fan engagement and commercialization as part of its International Home Marketing Areas (IHMA) initiative.

The NFL has enjoyed a number of strong years of fan growth in Germany, where it now has 19 million fans.  Weekly NFL television viewership on partners ProSieben and DAZN has grown by more than 20 percent annually since 2017, and millions of fans tuned in for Super Bowl LV last February, making it the third consecutive season of record German Super Bowl viewership. Germany is a leading market outside North America for NFL Shop sales, fantasy football participation and sales of the Madden NFL video game.

A new survey by AFG Videoforschung found that American football has become the second-most popular television sport in Germany, with one in three people having watched in the past year.

Aurora Media Worldwide Hires Creative Director Greg Vince To Boost Originals Capability

Award-winning content agency Aurora Media Worldwide, part of All3Media, has appointed series producer and showrunner Greg Vince to the newly-created post of Creative Director, Originals. 

Greg will focus on increasing Aurora’s capability in Originals and Factual Entertainment. He joins from Nutopia where he spent almost three years, most recently as Series Producer of a pioneering new project Limitless for Disney Plus, exec produced by Darren Aronofsky and hosted by Chris Hemsworth.

Greg brings nearly two decades of broadcast and SVOD TV experience to Aurora with previous roles at the BBC, Amazon and CPL Productions. He has overseen and shaped a number of major factual entertainment TV shows and formats, including Top Gear for the BBC and The Grand Tour for Amazon Prime.

Greg’s track record in factual entertainment and IP development further enhances Aurora’s offering to rights holders, brands and broadcasters developing original, long and short-form unscripted content. 

As well as leading Originals creative development at Aurora, focusing on working with existing clients, Greg will also work with Aurora’s Development team on creating original content for broadcasters, OTT and Streaming platforms with a number of shows already on the Aurora slate. Greg starts immediately, reporting to Aurora Media Worldwide’s Chief Strategy Officer, Barry Flanigan, who said:  “Greg has an extensive track record of delivering extremely high quality, narrative-led content,  on some of the biggest and most successful global TV shows. His skills are an excellent fit with Aurora’s strength in formatting and producing original and  innovative, international content  We’re delighted to welcome him to the team.”

Greg Vince said:  “I’m incredibly excited to be joining the team at Aurora – they have an increasingly strong reputation for creating compelling sports, entertainment and brand-led content.  As the lines that traditionally divided the worlds of digital, branded, live and broadcast media become more and more blurred, I’m looking forward to helping Aurora deliver an even stronger range of content in the global entertainment arena.”

Aurora has in-depth expertise in the formatting and production of live, premium global sports and entertainment events, helping clients develop compelling programming from broadcast through to digital.  Aurora’s international clients and partnerships include progressive rights owners such as Formula E, Extreme E and Super League Triathlon; broadcasters and streaming platforms including ITV, National Geographic, Twitch; and brands such as Jaguar, JP Morgan, BMW and Silverstone. 

WTT Signs Double Fish As Global Partner, China Gold Appointed WTT China Partner

World Table Tennis is proud to announce that table tennis equipment supplier Guangzhou Double Fish Sports Goods Group. Co. Ltd. has agreed to a Global Partnership agreement until 2023.

“We are very happy to continue our global partnership with WTT,” said Sam Zhao, General Manager of Double Fish. “It is our honour to support WTT at different events, and we hope more people would love and join in this great sport, especially for the youth.”

The company is a longtime partner of the International Table Tennis Federation and supported WTT’s first events. Double Fish provided equipment for the Macao Showcase in December 2020, the WTT Middle East Hub in March 2021, and the inaugural WTT Cup Finals in December 2021.

Double Fish will now provide the Official Ball for the 2022 and 2023 World Table Tennis Championships, one Grand Smash per year, and the WTT Women’s events.

“As a leading sports brand that takes table tennis as the core of our brand DNA and one of our key competencies, we would like to see WTT expanding the game globally and launching new events for the female athletes,” continued Zhao.

WTT is fully coming to life this year. Grand Smashes are the newest marquee events, set to become the pillars of WTT and the new pinnacle of professional table tennis. The event will deliver the highest-level table tennis with both singles, mixed and doubles competitions showcasing the talent of our highest ranked athletes.

The WTT Women’s events include two major competitions: the WTT Women Champions, which will exclusively gather the best 32 players on the planet, and WTT Women Cup Finals is the new unmissable year-ending event.

The 2022 World Team Table Tennis Championships will take place in Chengdu, whilst the 2023 World Table Tennis Championships will be held in Durban, South Africa.

Matt Pound, WTT Managing Director, commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Double Fish as a global partner of WTT, continuing their support of WTT in redefining the sport of table tennis. WTT provides a professional platform for the top female athletes to shine and inspire others. We look forward to developing the sport of table tennis with Double Fish.”

China Gold Appointed WTT China Partner

World Table Tennis (WTT) announced that China Gold has been appointed as a WTT China partner for 2022. Through this strategic partnership, China Gold looks forward to working closely with the organisation to promote nationwide healthy living and further drive the development of table tennis.

As part of the agreement, China Gold will receive brand exposure, ticketing and hospitality opportunities, and fan engagement rights at all WTT events held in China. In addition, China Gold and WTT will cooperate to enhance the trophies for the WTT Champions event.

Chen Xiongwei, Chairman of China Gold, commented, “As a state-owned enterprise, China Gold has always advocated the ethics of courage, hard work and a positive outlook. We believe that good faith can move mountains. Through our partnership with WTT, we would like to pay tribute to the spirit of continuous excellence table tennis embodies while carrying out China’s national strategy of promoting healthy living among its people. Gold glitters, and so does the enduring spirit of a sports champion. We look forward to integrating the two and further promoting the development of both industries through our partnership with WTT.”

China’s leading gold and jewellery brand, China Gold has become a household name associated with genuine products and quality service. The brand is well established as an industry leader and a key innovator, with 30 brand service centres and nearly 4000 stores nationwide. With products that encompass all categories and age groups, China Gold truly lives up to the idea of “Gold for the People, Blessings for All”.

Matt Pound, WTT Managing Director said, “It is our pleasure to welcome China Gold as WTT China partner. As the leading gold and jewellery brand in China, I am certain China Gold will work closely with WTT and our table tennis fans to develop the sport further, conveying China’s table tennis culture and sportsmanship to the world.”

F1’s Miami Grand Prix Announces Crypto.com Title Partnership

Promoters of the Miami Grand Prix have announced a new nine-year deal with the world’s fastest growing cryptocurrency platform, with the race to be officially called the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. Details have also been announced for The Crypto.com Terrace which sits within the campus, as well as the Crypto.com Fan Zone, which will take place on the field in the centre of the Hard Rock Stadium.

South Florida Motorsports (SFM) has announced Crypto.com as the official title partner of the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. This prestigious new deal will see Crypto.com become an integral part of the newest Formula 1 event on the calendar, with its brand incorporated into the official event title and logo, in addition to exposure across the Miami International Autodrome.

The long-term deal between the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix and Crypto.com is the first commercial partnership to be announced in the build-up to the inaugural event that will take place on the new 5.41km circuit in Miami Gardens. The Miami International Autodrome will be the 11th different venue in the United States to host a World Championship Formula 1 race and will form round five of this year’s campaign on the weekend of May 6-8, 2022.

“We are excited for our long-term title partnership with Crypto.com. We share their commitment to innovation and will apply those high standards to the fan experience at the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix,” said Jeremy Walls, Senior Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer of Hard Rock Stadium & Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. “This will be an international event and we look forward to growing together on a worldwide scale.”

F1 fans will already be familiar with the logos of Crypto.com, as the world’s fastest growing cryptocurrency platform became a Global Partner of Formula 1 in 2021, sponsoring the thrilling Sprint series. With over 10 million users worldwide, Crypto.com is committed to building the future of the internet, Web3. Powered by cryptocurrency, Web3 will be more fair and equitable, owned by the builders, creators and users.

In addition to prominent signage across the circuit, Crypto.com branding will be integrated across the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix campus. The Crypto.com Terrace hospitality area features unparalleled 360 degrees views of the track, including an exclusive observation deck at Turn 4. Level one of this space will be open to all fans attending the event.

Fans will also be excited to visit the Crypto.com Fan Zone which will take pride of place in the center of the Hard Rock Stadium, on the field, and will feature a host of entertainment and activities across the weekend.

“Building on our global partnership with Formula 1, we are thrilled to be the first commercial title partner of the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix in the city that is fast becoming the crypto center of the U.S.,” said Kris Marszalek, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Crypto.com. “Technology and innovation are at the core of what we do, which strategically aligns with the sport of racing, and together we will create exciting experiences at the intersection of Web3 and F1 Racing.”

Vestas Extends Contract With ATPI For Formula E 2022 Sponsorship Activation

Renewable energy provider Vestas will once again work with ATPI Sport Events to activate its Formula E sponsorship in 2022. The contract includes hospitality management, programme design and guest communications for the 8th season of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.

ATPI Sports Events will continue to focus on activating sponsorship for commercial stakeholders and employees of the company.

John Bergmann, Commercial Head ATPI Sports Events said, “Despite the pandemic, we look back on a successful partnership and activation. Although we were not able to do anything like what we had planned in terms of volume and content due to international and local restrictions, we were able to host several successful events and races. An important ray of hope is that the guests who were able to come, were incredibly enthusiastic about the experience on site and the communication around the events. Quality over quantity, so to speak.”

Magnus Bach, Vice President Global Marketing, Brand & Channels at Vestas said, “We are delighted to have a partner like ATPI whose flexibility and expertise enable us to make the most of challenging circumstances. We will  keep on working with ATPI and go for a fantastic result in 2022 with the Mercedes EQ Formula E Team.”

Oracle And Red Bull Racing Launch New Five-Year Naming Rights Partnership

Oracle and Red Bull Racing have enhanced their partnership and are introducing a new Team name, Oracle Red Bull Racing, as well as the Team’s new car for the upcoming season, the RB18. Building on the success of last year’s F1 Drivers’ Championship, the Team’s 2022 season will feature expanded use of Oracle Cloud across its most significant areas of operation including analytics-based race strategy, optimized engine development, AI and machine learning-powered driver training and a tailored fan experience.

Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner, said:

“Oracle Cloud enabled us to make race-day decisions that helped Max Verstappen win the 2021 Drivers’ Championship. Discovering and reacting to opportunities quickly, is crucial to our success on and off the track, and Oracle is integral in that effort. Every element of our performance is driven by data analysis. Having Oracle as our title partner shows the confidence we have in their expertise and their ability to deliver a true competitive advantage.”

Taking advantage of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) during last season’s championship run, the Team increased the number of simulations they ran by 1,000x to improve the accuracy of their predictions and sharpen their decision-making. In addition, they accelerated simulation speed by 10x, which gave race strategists more time to make the right call. Equally important, OCI significantly reduced the cost of billions of simulations, allowing the Team to cost-effectively improve performance on the track, which is critical for success under F1’s stringent spending regulations.

This season, OCI will enable the Oracle Red Bull Racing Team to expand the volume and variety of data they analyze and increase the speed at which simulations run in order to better predict tactics that will lead to the podium.

Along with its innovative on-track initiatives, Oracle Red Bull Racing will continue to deliver an exceptional experience to its global fan base. Last season, Oracle and Red Bull Racing launched a first-of-its-kind fan loyalty platform powered by OCI – The Red Bull Racing Paddock – to bring the excitement of F1 to fans all over the world. Since The Paddock’s inception, Red Bull Racing has seen a more than nine times increase in member sign-ups. The new, direct line of communication between fans and the team has created outstanding engagement, with registered fans submitting thousands of questions to the team and redeeming 35,000 digital rewards. In 2022, Oracle Red Bull Racing will incorporate new features and capabilities, including the ability to create user-generated content, to bring an even deeper layer of personalization to fans.

Oracle Red Bull Racing Chief Marketing Officer, Oliver Hughes, said:

“The presence of Oracle, one of the world’s largest cloud technology companies, as title partner not only signals huge confidence in Red Bull Racing’s ability to lead the technology race on track, it will also enable us to drive forward our ambitions for fan engagement, a core tenet of our marketing strategy. We want to take fans with us on our competitive journey in F1, putting them right at the heart of the racing action and Oracle’s world class innovation and technology will help us achieve that goal.”

Oracle Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Ariel Kelman, said:

“Red Bull Racing has been more committed than any other F1 team in its use of technology to gain an edge, and it is paying off. Our commitment to this partnership reflects our belief that OCI is a strategic weapon on race day, helps create the most exciting fan experience in sports, and can define the future of F1. Oracle Red Bull Racing is, and will continue to be, the most forward-thinking and innovative F1 team in the world.”  

OCI Powers Engine Development, Driver Training, and Esports Team

Oracle is working with Red Bull Powertrains to develop the next generation of F1 engines set to debut in 2026 as Red Bull Racing becomes one of only four current manufacturers supplying engines for F1. Red Bull Powertrains will use OCI to optimize modeling of its new engine combustion chamber to reduce costs while improving results.

Red Bull Advanced Technologies and Oracle are also partnering to help develop the next generation of world-class drivers. Through projects applying AI and machine learning, Red Bull‘s junior drivers will better understand how data can inform and fine tune their driving style to reduce their lap times.

Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports marks the evolution of a partnership in one of the world’s fastest growing sporting industries, esports. Taking a cue from its real-world counterpart, the Team will use OCI-powered analytics to optimize car set up, improve race strategy, and provide its drivers with training that can help them consistently post ideal lap times on any virtual track, in any simulated weather.

Fuse Promotes Sarah Kendall To Managing Director

Fuse, part of Omnicom Media Group, has promoted Sarah Kendall to UK Managing Director.  The announcement follows the recent departure of former Managing Director, Stephen Hutchison. 

Kendall, who has 20 years in sport sponsorship, has spent the past seven years at Fuse in leadership roles. She will report into CEO UK and EMEA, Louise Johnson. 

Kendall takes over to lead the 100-strong agency in the UK and preside over a roster of clients that includes: PepsiCo, FedEx and Enterprise’s UEFA competition partnerships; Vodafone and their recently announced 5-year partnership with AELTC and Wimbledon; Klarna and their new partnerships with Chicago Bulls and Angel City FC; and Carlsberg Group, SportsBet, HSBC and Nissan.

“It’s an absolute privilege to be leading Fuse into a new and exciting era,” Kendall said. “I come into this role at a point of huge momentum for the agency as we continue to deepen client relationships, strengthen our creative and digital capabilities and further unlock the data, insight and commercial potential of Omnicom Media Group in new ways that add increased value to clients’ sport and entertainment properties.”

Johnson said: “Sarah has played an important part in our agency’s growth story. I’m confident that in her new role as Managing Director she will continue to grow the agency and deliver brilliant success in line with the changing landscape, client expectations and needs.”

Joining Fuse in 2015, Kendall has spent the past years as divisional and business development lead, first as Head of PR and later as Head of Fuse at PHD UK – leading the growth of Fuse’s Sport & Entertainment services as part of an integrated Omnicom Media Group offering. 

During her tenure, she has overseen major new business wins, the creation of two new revenue-driving divisions, and played a key role in the agency’s 2019 restructure – bringing six UK offices into one – contributing to year-on-year growth for the 13-year-old agency.  

Kendall is also a passionate advocate for the positive impact that sport and entertainment can have on communities. She has led strategies for campaigns that have used sport and entertainment platforms to address societal issues including gender inequality in sport for Skoda Cycling, leading to the development of a cycling academy legacy programme for female riders. She has worked with Nike to design international physical activity blueprints and community impact interventions for school children; and oversaw the development and delivery of The FA and Duke of Cambridge’s Heads Up campaign to kick off the biggest ever conversation on mental health through football.

beIN Sports The New Home Of The ATP Tour In Nine Asian Territories

beIN ASIA PACIFIC has expanded its rights for the ATP Tour to the following nine territories across the Asia region from 2022: Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Philippines, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

As part of the new rights agreement with the ATP and ATP Media, beIN’s flagship brand, beIN SPORTS, will deliver live coverage of the prestigious season ending Nitto ATP Finals and Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals events, all nine of the high-profile ATP Masters 1000 events; all 13 of the ATP 500 events; and over 30 of the ATP 250 events, as well as the ATP Uncovered Magazine Show.

With beIN’s recent acquisitions of the two major Grand Slams – Australian Open and Roland-Garros – in 10 Asian territories, tennis fans in the region can now look forward to a phenomenal year of top-tier tennis across the beIN SPORTS network, which is available on major pay-TV platforms and beIN’s live-streaming app, beIN SPORTS CONNECT.

In its first live coverage of the recent Australian Open in Asia, beIN SPORTS offered unprecedented access to tennis fans by broadcasting all the main draw matches across 16 courts on beIN SPORTS CONNECT.

Mike Kerr, Managing Director of beIN Asia Pacific, said: “We are thrilled to expand our partnership with the ATP and ATP Media and strengthen our tennis offering in the region.  Coupled with our recent acquisitions of the Australian Open and Roland-Garros, we are broadcasting more live hours than ever before across all screens, giving fans unprecedented access to some of the best tennis action in the world.  We look forward to working alongside the ATP and ATP Media to widen the fan base and increase the engagement of the sport, players and tournaments.” 

The expansion of the ATP Tour rights demonstrates beIN’s ongoing commitment to providing a wide array of premium sports content in the Asia-Pacific region.  In addition to the 9 Asian territories, beIN currently holds the broadcast rights for the ATP Tour in Australia.

Caitlyn Jenner Going For W Series Gold In 2022

W Series announces that a team owned by former racing driver and Olympic champion Caitlyn Jenner will compete in the 2022 season

American Jenner was hailed as ‘the world’s greatest athlete’ by Time magazine after winning the decathlon at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, by setting a third straight world record. Now, the athletic icon will go for W Series gold when her Jenner Racing team contests W Series’ third season, which consists of Formula 1 support races at eight Grand Prix weekends, starting in Miami, USA, in May. W Series had a global reach of more than half a billion viewers in 2021 when it began its partnership with F1 – the world’s premier motor racing series.

In her role as team principal, Jenner will oversee the day-to-day running of her Jenner Racing team. Driver line-up, car livery, and the acquisition of sponsors who are aligned with her mission of promoting women in sport and creating a platform for them in motorsport, will be first on her agenda. Last week, 15 prospective drivers from around the world – including seven from the Americas – attended a W Series test at the Inde Motorsports Ranch, Arizona, USA. W Series’ driver line-up for the 2022 season will be announced in due course.

Jenner is no stranger to motorsport or F1 having first won a celebrity race at the Long Beach Grand Prix, California, USA, in 1979. That victory over 10 laps rekindled a childhood love of racing and cars, and less than a year later Jenner debuted as a professional racing driver at the iconic 24 Hours of Daytona race as part of Jim Busby’s team.

Jenner went on to compete professionally in the IMSA Camel GT Championship as a factory driver for the Ford Motor Company and Jack Roush for the next six years, making a total of 57 starts. After a near victory and a second-placed finish at the 24 hours of Daytona, Jenner came back in the 1986 12 Hours of Sebring alongside co-driver Scott Pruett, to whom Jenner would finish runner-up in the championship that year.

Catherine Bond Muir (Chief Executive Officer, W Series) said:

“W Series exists to promote women in motorsport, believing that they can compete equally with men if given the same opportunities. We are determined to give females a platform and a pathway to succeed in our sport, and when I first met Caitlyn Jenner, it was clear that she is as committed to that mission as all of us at W Series are. She has performed at the highest level in sport, is a proven winner and a complete petrol-head, and I know that her passion for sport and motorsport will inspire everybody at W Series. We continue to rethink racing and I am excited to see how the Jenner Racing team performs this season. With one of the world’s greatest athletes supporting them, the sky is the limit.”    

Caitlyn Jenner (Team Principal, Jenner Racing) said:

“As a believer in fair competition, a lover of motor racing, and a supporter of all women in sport from the grassroots to elite level, W Series ticks every box for me and is a fusion of the different aspects of my career. A championship dedicated to inspiring young girls and giving women the chance to succeed in roles throughout what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, W Series is changing the face of motorsport. As the series continues its rapid expansion with a truly international cast of drivers and races, this was the perfect time to come on board. W Series had a global reach of more than half a billion viewers in 2021, and I am going out to the market to acquire sponsors that align with mine and W Series’ joint missions.  

“I watched on with great excitement last year when W Series made its American debut in Austin, Texas, USA, where its drivers entertained 400,000 fans over the weekend at the Circuit of the Americas. In May, I will be beaming with pride when my Jenner Racing team starts its bid for W Series glory on motor racing’s greatest stage at the first race of season three in Miami, USA, in support of Formula 1. As has always been the case, I’m in it to win it.”

Hear more from Caitlyn Jenner on her new Jenner Racing team here.