GULF SIGNS MAJOR NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH ASTON MARTIN RACING

 

Gulf Oil International is delighted to announce a major motorsport partnership initiative for 2008 and beyond, as it links up with Aston Martin Racing to become sponsors of the factory race team's Le Mans entry for three years.

The 2008 Aston Martin works cars with their famous 007 and 009 numbering will run in Gulf's iconic blue and orange livery at La Sarthe in June to become the latest in a long line of successful endurance race cars to carry the legendary livery.

Indeed, 2008 will mark the 40th anniversary of Gulf's first victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours, something of which Gulf Oil International Vice President, Alain Dujean is also keenly aware. "This is arguably the most important year ever for Gulf in motorsport. The famous Gulf racing colours first tasted victory at Le Mans in 1968, so 2008 already had great significance for us, but for Gulf to have joined up with Aston Martin Racing is fantastic - the coming together of two great automotive names, for what I hope will be a long and fruitful partnership."

The agreement will cover two enormously significant anniversaries for both concerns, as 2009 also marks the 50th anniversary of Aston Martin's outright Le Mans win.

Prior to 2008 the Gulf colours have been seen on the factory race cars of Ford (1966-69) Porsche (1970-71) Mirage (1974-75) and McLaren (1995-6) as well as on top line works-supported entries from Audi (2001), Courage (2005-6) and Zytek (2007).

David Richards, Chairman of Aston Martin, is also delighted with the Aston Martin Racing-Gulf partnership.  "Endurance racing is engrained in the heritage of both Gulf and Aston Martin and we have also both been intrinsically linked through Le Mans for many decades. It was perhaps destined that, in the year we defend our GT1 title and Gulf celebrates the 40th anniversary of its win, we would finally race together at La Sarthe."

Alain Dujean continues, "This is one of the most exciting announcements I have ever been able to give our global affiliates. Our link up with Aston Martin Racing will give them many new opportunities to capitalise for their businesses. There is now a depth of resource that exists solely to help them make the most of Gulf's new partnership and should offer a whole new dimension in marketing Gulf's involvement with this iconic brand. We have a fully liveried show car and some very well known drivers that are available to any of them and I expect that take-up of the various activities that both Gulf Oil International and Aston Martin Racing can offer to be at an unprecedented level."