under terms of US$5m Monster deal

Energy drink Monster, which sponsors MotoGp superstar Valentino Rossi to the tune of US$1.6 million per year, has signed a title sponsorship deal with Yamaha’s Tech 3 satellite team. The team will be rebranded as Yamaha Tech 3 from the 2009 season for at least two years.

The bikes, ridden by Colin Edwards and James Toseland, will be decked out with the Monster Energy M-Claw logo which also adorns Rossi’s helmet. The deal represents Monster’s latest push in their campaign to break Europe. The brand is the number one by-volume sales energy drink in the USA.

“It’s great to be linked with a growing brand such as Monster Energy, which has such a strong image and a big profile,“ said Herve Poncharal, the team president, of the agreement. “Monster are very keen to support MotoGP and I’m sure that our partnership will prove to be very successful. Our aims are to go even better than in 2008, and thanks to this agreement we are highly motivated to do so.“

Monster Energy president Mark Hall praised the individual appeal of the team’s riders. “Both Colin and James have built huge followings throughout their careers and they are extremely popular riders, so Monster Energy is pleased to become part of their continued efforts through our partnership with the Tech 3 Yamaha team for the upcoming ‘09 MotoGP season,“ he said. “Tech 3 has a highly successful track record as one of MotoGP’s premier teams and will provide a solid platform for Monster Energy as we continue to develop our brand image globally.“