Pirelli to sponsor Abu Dhabi F1 circuit

Italian tyre giant Pirelli on Wednesday announced its association with Yas Racing school to host the annual Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Formula 1 race at the Yas Marina Circuit.

The deal will see all Yas Racing School and Abu Dhabi Motosports Management vehicles fitted exclusively with a range of Pirelli tyres, as well as a major Pirelli branding presence around the circuit, both sides said in a joint e-mailed statement.

The sponsorship complements to Pirelli's commitment to Formula 1 as the official F-1 tyre partner, an ongoing deal which is due to expire in 2019, reports Xinhua.

With immediate effect, Pirelli will supply tyres for the 49 cars that make up Yas Marina Circuit's retail experience fleet used for the DriveYAS programme. DriveYAS is open to the public three days per week every Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday.

The DriveYAS driver and passenger experiences on offer range from the popular Aston Martin Driving Experience, Mercedes AMG with the E63, CLS, and GTS experiences, Yas3000, Radical SST, Camaros for Drag Experiences, as well as the AMG Safety Car.

Almost 10,000 visitors per year undergo experiences at Yas Racing School, with a further 24,000 visiting the kart track.

The agreement also sees Pirelli rubber fitted to Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management's fleet, consisting of 12 multipurpose Renaults, Nissan Pathfinders and X Terra, shuttle buses used for Venue Tours, water tankers and pick-up trucks, meaning that Pirelli will supply 1,500 tyres per year across more than 75 vehicles at the circuit.

"We are delighted to have Pirelli on board and we look forward to building a successful partnership over time," Yas Marina Circuit CEO Al Tareq Al Ameri said.

"We are confident that Yas Racing School's experience fleet fitted with Pirelli tyres will provide the highest performance and the most enjoyment for its thousands of customers each year," said Carlos Milani, General Manager Middle East and India for Pirelli.

Abu Dhabi has been organising the annual Formula 1 event since 2009. This year's race, the last competition of the Formula 1 world championship series in 2016 will take place on November 27.

--IANS

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