World’s richest man Carlos Slim enters F1
Carlos Slim, the world’s richest man, is using the might of his global telecoms giant Telmex to enter F1 after the shock failure of the BMW Sauber project.
Mexican-based Telmex will partner next season’s Sauber team in a deal that will include significant car branding. The team’s car has spent this season almost entirely white due to a lack of sponsors.
In addition to the sponsorship deal, rookie Mexican driver Sergio Perez will be installed at the Swiss-based F1 team.
Perez has been backed by Telmex for several years and finished second in the GP2 series this season, winning the Monaco Grand Prix and three other races.
BMW Sauber was rocked in the winter when BMW chose to withdraw from the sport and sell the team back to founder Peter Sauber.
Telmex chairman Carlos Slim says: “Sauber has been not only a very successful racing team but also a strong talent developer of some of the most recognised names in racing since their early stages as well as one of the most respected people in the sport.
“Their decision of having Sergio with them is very significant on his career to become a top driver representing Mexico.
For Telmex and our racing project Escuderia Telmex, it’s a great step forward, and we feel very proud to be able to consolidate these years of work for having a Mexican driver in F1 with Sauber Motorsport.”
Separately, Sauber landed a two-race sponsorship deal with Burger King Iberia back in May. The sponsorship was carried out over the Barcelona and Valencia races in order to support Sauber driver Pedro de la Rosa, a Barcelona native.
It is unlikely the sponsorship deal will take place again next season, considering Sauber fired de la Rosa in September with five races still left in the season.
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