Vodafone to drop Ferrari for McLaren

Vodafone is to switch its Formula One sponsorship to McLaren Mercedes from Ferrari in 2007, the mobile phone giants announced yesterday.

The multi-year title sponsorship deal is a huge boost for Mercedes-powered McLaren who have been without a title sponsor since July when their link-up with West cigarettes ended as new EU legislation on tobacco advertising came into force.

Vodafone's deal with Ferrari ends at the end of next season, as does the current Ferrari contract of Michael Schumacher.

Ferrari has just suffered its worst season since Schumacher joined in 1996, ending a run of six consecutive constructors' titles with third place behind champions Renault and McLaren.

McLaren, eight times winners of the constructors' championship, had had German brand West as title sponsor since 1997 after their 20-year association with Marlboro ended.

Marlboro are currently title sponsors of Ferrari in a deal worth an estimated $60 million a year which also runs until the end of 2006.

Vodafone will offer its third-generation (3G) phone customers a range of F1 content including racing news updates, test results, team biographies, videos and ringtones.

The company did not disclose financial terms of the new deal. The Ferrari contract has been valued at about $40 million a year.

Last month Vodafone announced it would terminate a nine million pound ($15.9-million) a year shirt sponsorship deal with Manchester United two years early at the end of the 2005/2006 season.

The company plans instead to extend its sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League by becoming both an official partner and the official mobile network of the Champions League.