Scuderia Ferrari has confirmed that sponsor Philip Morris International (PMI) will “very likely” continue its collaboration with the Maranello team, despte the fact that its Mission Winnow will step back from from being a title partner in the 2022 Formula 1 season.
Ferrari has talked about the possibility of signing a new contract with PMI for many months, as the current deal will end at the end of 2021. Philip Morris International is one of the Italian side’s longest-serving partners and has most recently used its title sponsorship of Ferrari to promote its Mission Winnow brand.
The logos for its initiative for a non-tobacco future were first launched at the 2018 Japanese Grand Prix, and Mission Winnow took the title naming rights from the start of the next championship. Yet the full Mission Winnow logos and branding have been displayed on and off the Ferrari cars since that moment, given the fact that Philip Morris International had to make sure it did not go against any government restrictions regarding tobacco advertising laws.
During the 2020 F1 season, the Maranello team ran without the branding for most of the championship, before a new green logo and the wording were presented at the start of the current season. Yet it was announced earlier this year that the Mission Winnow branding would again be taken off for the European events.
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There had been speculation suggesting that ongoing regulatory uncertainty could determine PMI to leave Formula 1, but Scuderia Ferrari is confident there is a chance the company will continue some form of partnership. Asked about whether or not Mission Winnow would remain as title sponsor with its stickers on the car next year, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto explained: “We are still discussing with PMI. It is very likely PMI will remain, [but] maybe not as a title sponsor. So maybe let’s see. It can depend on what do you mean by Mission Winnow, on the car or not. You mentioned stickers, so we’re discussing rights. It will be announced as soon as we are ready to do it.” – he said.
When PMI confirmed earlier this year that it was removing its Mission Winnow branding for EU races, the company expressed some frustration at the way its non-tobacco campaign was being treated.
Riccardo Parino, VP Global Partnerships at Philip Morris, said: “Mission Winnow respects all laws and regulations and continuously strives to find distinctive ways to drive dialogue, free of ideology, and build strong partnerships that are rooted in shared values. We acknowledge the mistrust and abundance of scepticism towards our industry. However, our intention is not to create controversy around the application of the logo but rather focus on re-framing global conversations, building communities, and supporting innovative ideas that drive positive change.” – he concluded.
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