The Sauber F1 team has received a further injection of money from Mexico after signing a sponsorship agreement with tequila brand Jose Cuervo for the 2011 season. The news was confirmed on Friday, with the brand’s logos appearing on the team’s new car as it was launched in Valencia on Monday.

Jose Cuervo joins Latin American telecommunications giant America Movil, through its Clara, Telmex and Telcel brands, plus Mexican insurance group Interproteccion as new sponsors of the team for 2011. The deals are connected to the signing of Mexican driver Sergio Perez. The 21 year old will make his Formula One debut this year alongside Japan’s Kamui Kobayashi. Another Mexican Esteban Gutierrez will the team’s test driver, bolstering the Mexican partnerships.

Launching the new car, called the C30, team principal Peter Sauber said: “We have managed to secure our business foundation for the 2011 season. In these economically straitened times that is something we can be proud of too.”

Sauber took back control of the team, which started competing in Formula One in 1993 but has a long history in motorsport engineering, at the start of the 2010 season following the departure of previous owners BMW. Sauber spent much of last season attempting to secure the long-term financial future of the team.

Jose Cuervo has logos on the sidepods and front nose of the 2011 car. Juan Domingo Beckmann, the company’s chief executive, confirmed that Perez was the reason for the sponsorship. “When we found out a Mexican driver had secured a seat with the Sauber F1 Team it all clicked for Jose Cuervo to support him and the team. It is very clear when all the right pieces fall into place things work out naturally.”

He added: “We are convinced this will be a very successful venture for the company and Mexico.”