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Formula One
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CART
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IRL
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NHRA
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| Wednesday, January 31 |
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| Official sponsor announcement set for March 1 Reuters | |||
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LONDON -- Formula One team Arrows said on
Wednesday it would hold talks over its future with Dutch
sponsors Chello on Friday.
The British team dismissed reports that the
Netherlands-based cable Internet provider would no longer
sponsor the team next season.
Andy King, head of strategic and acquisition development for
Arrows, said an official announcement concerning this year's
sponsors would be made at a commercial launch on March 1.
He dismissed reports coming out of the Netherlands that
seemed to indicate that Chello have withdrawn its sponsorship.
The two companies joined forces at the start of last season.
King said: "Chello have confirmed to me that no official
announcement has been made on their part and that they have not
released any statement to the media.
"We are holding a meeting with Chello on Friday but an
official announcement on all of our sponsors will be announced
at a commercial launch for the team on March 1st."
Arrows confirmed earlier that Dutch driver Jos Verstappen
would stay with the team for the 2001 season but Spaniard Pedro
de la Rosa would be replaced by Brazilian Enrique Bernoldi.
Repsol out as sponsor Repsol has ended its sponsorship of the Arrows team but wants to help de la Rosa remain in Formula One, the Spanish oil company said on Wednesday. "Repsol wishes to keep a variety of options open in order to allow Pedro de la Rosa to continue as a Formula One driver," the oil company said in a statement. Repsol said a proposed sponsorship deal had proved unacceptable to Arrows: "After both parties came close to reaching an agreement, Arrows decided unilaterally to end the negotiations," it said. Repsol said that at the start of the talks they had put forward a proposal to reward Arrows on the basis of results. Arrows scored just six points last season and finished seventh overall in the championship. De la Rosa's only hope of a drive this season is now with Minardi which announced on Tuesday that it had been bought by Australian businessman Paul Stoddart. It has yet to name their drivers, although young Spaniard Fernando Alonso is expected to be one of them. | |
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