Emirates has become a global partner of Formula One and will have trackside branding at 15 races per season over the next five years.The deal was announced on Tuesday morning at a press conference in Dubai attended by Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.The Financial Times speculated that the agreement could be worth as much as US$200 million over five years.Emirates, one of the largest spenders on sports sponsorship in the world, will have branding at 15 of the 19 Grands Prix in 2013, starting with March's Malaysian Grand Prix. The airline will not, however, have presence at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, which has traditionally been sponsored by Qantas; the Bahrain Grand Prix, which has been sponsored by Gulf Air since 2004; or the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which features Etihad branding.

The fourth non-Emirates race is the Monaco Grand Prix where trackside advertising and sponsorship is handled by local organisers rather than the Formula One Group.Ecclestone said: Emirates has a first class international reputation and Im very pleased to welcome such a prestigious company as a global partner of Formula One. Watching Formula One races live in flight will be something special for Emirates customers and Emirates branding at this many races on the calendar will lend strong support to their ambitious expansion plans. "With considerable overlap between their priority markets and our own I look forward to many successful years working on this important partnership together.Emirates' chairman and chief executive HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum (left), added: For many years, Emirates has been at the forefront of sports partnerships across the world. With the addition of this global partnership with the Formula One group we are continuing to expand our sponsorship portfolio, which Im sure will be appreciated by sports fans. "Todays Formula One partnership follows on from our recent sporting announcements such as re-signing a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Arsenal Football Club, being a sponsorship partner of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and becoming the official airline of the ATP World Tour tournament.Emirates has some experience of Formula One, having sponsored the McLaren team for a single season in 1996.Meanwhile, Rolex has been confirmed as the title sponsor of the Australian Grand Prix, the first race of the season, as part of its wider role as Formula One's new official timekeeper.

Source: SportsPro