Abu Dhabi becomes sponsor of Race of Champions
The capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi has become the Official Destination Partner of the 2007 Race Of Champions, to be held in the new Wembley Stadium on Sunday 16 December. This new sponsorship builds on the emirate’s activity in the FIA World Rally Championship, where it is partner to the 2007 FIA World Rally Champion BP-Ford*, as well as Official Destination Partner to the championship itself.
This new relationship with the Race Of Champions is an opportunity to reinforce the emirate’s activity in the WRC, which has seen it become partner to the BP-Ford World Rally Team, as the marque secured its second Manufacturer title in two years. And as Official Destination Partner to the WRC itself, Abu Dhabi has a perfect platform to promote the emirate as a world-class destination of choice for leisure, culture and commerce.
This year’s Race of Champions is an even more appropriate opportunity for Abu Dhabi, since the Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, which carried Abu Dhabi branding during the 2007 season, will play a major part at the event, as one of the vehicles that the star drivers use to compete against each other.
As Official Destination Partner to the Race of Champions, the all-new Abu Dhabi logo will be proudly displayed around the Wembley Stadium arena, including on the famous crossover bridge on the centre of the figure-of-eight circuit. Not only will this clearly promote the Abu Dhabi name to the anticipated 70,000 fans within the stadium but to the motorsport fan-base around the world, thanks to seven hours of live TV coverage on both Sky and Eurosport.
It will also offer the opportunity for Abu Dhabi to engage with the motorsport industry outside the pressures of actual competition and championship targets. While the Race of Champions is a serious motorsport event, there are no titles at stake and therefore, it offers a unique opportunity to communicate the Abu Dhabi message in a more relaxed environment than actual competition.
Ahmed Hussein, Deputy Director General of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, the body responsible for the emirate’s presence in the WRC as well as the FIA Middle East Rally Championship, said; “The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority is very pleased to take up such a prominent position at the 2007 Race of Champions. Partnering with the most prestigious end-of-season motorsport event in the world is a perfect fit for Abu Dhabi and its aspirations.“Through our partnership with the 2007 World Rally Champion BP-Ford and as the Official Destination Partner to the WRC, we have already achieved great success in using motorsport as a promotional platform for Abu Dhabi as a world-class business and leisure destination. Our presence at the Race of Champions is a natural continuation of this strategy.“With Abu Dhabi’s key tourism markets in western Europe, the Race of Champions provides a great opportunity to communicate with millions of potential visitors through a dynamic and exciting format. Having this take place in front of more than 70,000 live spectators in an iconic venue like the new Wembley Stadium significantly enhances the impact.”
The Race of Champions sees stars from various disciplines of motorsport competing against each other in a variety of vehicles on a figure-of-eight circuit, constructed specifically for the event. This is the first year that the event takes place in the UK in the new Wembley Stadium, having been located in the Canary Islands and the Stade de France near Paris in previous years. The brainchild of Fredrik Johnsson and rally legend Michele Mouton, the event pits drivers against each other in identical machinery and an identical environment, to establish who truly is the best driver.
This year, some of the greatest names in motorsport will be taking part, forming national teams. The entry list reads like a who’s-who of motorsport: Jenson Button and Andy Priaulx in Team England, David Coulthard and Alister McRae in Team Scotland, Michael Schumacher in Team Germany while names familiar to the rally world will also include Abu Dhabi-backed Marcus Grönholm, both Solberg brothers Henning and Petter and Travis Pastrana.
