Reading Sign Innovative Partnership with Marussia F1

Reading FC have announced a new partnership with Formula One team Marussia.

The deal was signed at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone today, and the arrangement will see the Reading FC badge displayed on Marussia’s Formula One cars, and Marussia’s logo on the Reading playing shirts in the upcoming 2013/14 season.

In a statement Reading said: “The deal is a fantastic opportunity to grow awareness of the Reading FC brand on a global scale, and indeed there are many more partnership opportunities between us on a sporting and commercial level.

“We also believe this is also an exciting deal for our supporters; we will all be proud to see the Reading FC logo at Grands Prix, starting at Silverstone this weekend and continuing throughout the year to Japan, Korea, Abu Dhabi, USA, Brazil, Germany, Italy, India, Singapore et al.”

Chief Executive Nigel Howe (pictured right) signed the agreement at Silverstone and said:  “This is a fantastic partnership which allows us to connect two global sporting brands. Both of us are based in the Thames Valley and hugely ambitious; it is clear that we have plenty in common and can learn from each other. We will be proud to see our badge displayed at some of the world’s most iconic tracks – this is one of many ambitious projects we have announced in the last year or so and I’m sure our supporters will share our excitement.”

Andy Webb (pictured left), CEO, Marussia F1 Team added: “We are delighted to be able to announce our partnership with Reading FC ahead of today’s British Grand Prix. Of course, next year we will have two home races when we head to Sochi for the inaugural Russian Grand Prix, but for the moment we are a Russian owned team based on British soil which is the basis for a great deal of synergy with our friends at Reading FC.

“Through Formula 1 we are able to combine our love of racing with our strategic business objectives for the Marussia brand, but we are also part of a sport within Sport, so naturally we are keen to look more comprehensively at what we can learn from other sporting properties and indeed what they can learn from Formula 1. This is all part of our ethos of taking our Team and Formula 1 to the widest possible audience. We look forward to working with Anton Zingarevich and his Team to achieve a fully integrated partnership and we are delighted to welcome representatives from ‘The Royals’ to Silverstone today.”