22 Dec 2009

Mercedes F1 team announces title sponsor

7:24 am on 22 December 2009

The Mercedes Formula one team has announced it's title sponsor - the Malaysian state oil and gas company Petronas.

The former champion Brawn GP team will have the oil company's branding across the car and team liveries in what they said was a long-term agreement.

Petronas, who previously sponsored the Swiss-based Sauber team, will continue to be the title backer of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The deal with Mercedes will be a blow to both Sauber, who've since lost their major sponsor BMW, and the new Malaysian-backed Lotus team.

Mercedes have signed Germany's Nico Rosberg as one driver and are widely expected to have seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher as the other if he makes a comeback at the age of 41.