Formula One has announced a major sponsorship deal with Saudi oil giant Aramco, raising the prospect of a Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in future.
During the long-term deal, F1 and the Saudi oil company hope to « combine their considerable shared expertise to identify opportunities for the advancement of sustainable fuels, enhanced engine efficiencies and emerging mobility technology. Aramco is F1’s sixth title sponsor, alongside DHL, Emirates, Heineken, Pirelli and Rolex, and will be given title sponsorship of 2020 races in Spain, Hungary and the U.S.
A deal with Aramco seems to contradict F1’s recent environmental pledges and its bid to go carbon neutral by 2030. A recent report by the Guardian newspaper found Aramco and its products have contributed 59.26 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere since 1965, which equates to 4.38 percent of the planet’s global total in that period.
In January the Daily Mail reported details of an F1-Aramco partnership and said confirmation would be followed by news of a Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in the city of Jeddah, which could take place as early as 2021 before a permanent home is found from 2022 onwards.
The addition of a race in the oil-rich kingdom would likely draw criticism due to the country’s poor human rights record.
http://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/28876704/f1-announces-sponsorship-deal-saudi-oil-giant-aramco
