Title sponsor ING axes Renault backing

 Title sponsor ING axes Renault backing
Nelson Piquet Jr (BRA), Renault F1 Team, R29, Formula 1 Testing, Jerez, Spain, 10.02.2009 / Copyright: Davenport / xpb

Renault's title sponsor ING late on Thursday said it has terminated its contract with the French team "with immediate effect".

Mere hours after Spanish insurance backer Mutua Madrilena pulled its logos from the R29 for the same reason, the Dutch bank ING said it has also decided to end its association with Renault because of the crashgate scandal.

It is believed that both sponsors cite a clear and serious breach of contract, due to clauses requiring the Enstone based team to comply with FIA rules and regulations.

"ING is deeply disappointed at this turn of events, especially in the context of an otherwise successful sponsorship," a media statement issued late on Thursday read.

The statement went out to the world's media in the dead of the Singapore night, after team mechanics had throughout Thursday worked on the fully ING-branded cars in the pits of the Asian city-state's street circuit.

All team equipment as well as personnel and driver apparel also carried prominent ING branding as per usual on Thursday, the day before official practice for the weekend's Singapore grand prix begins.

Like Mutua Madrilena, ING had previously decided not to stay in formula one beyond 2009.

 

Source: GMM

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 Bristol411S3 Bristol411S3
Blimey. It only had four races to run anyway. Given the state of the financial services market it's probably worked out quite well for them. Looks like we may be confusing Renault's bare livery with that of Braun for the rest of the season!
September 24, 2009 9:21 pm
 hhfol hhfol
Renault will regain its true color, black and yellow. The return of the "Frelon" but without the turbo.
September 24, 2009 10:29 pm
 ifudge ifudge
good excuse for sponsors who were going to pull out anyway to do it early and save some $$$. i would imagine renault's art dept will be working harder than the mechanics right now.
September 25, 2009 1:17 am
 Ash Ash
How very convenient for ING...I say..if you need an excuse to break a contract..we have one..
September 25, 2009 1:49 am
 Ash Ash
STOP PRESS...Look into it more and ING wanted to Save Money.... ANZ (Australia's 4th largest Bank buys 51% of ($1.5bil) Aust and New Zealand stake in ING's Life Insurance and Wealth Management venture. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aUZW55aKfyVs
September 25, 2009 3:41 am
 alessandro alessandro
... however Renault is not a healthy company. Its inner culture is very close France Telecom's one. Cynic attempt to please environmentalists in their amok by repeating eco-mantra compulsories, electrification of everything that moves and finally the unholy marriage with Nissan, added to lack of clear product development policy in recent past years cannot hide big problems the existential atmosphere inside the company, despite to their newly published statement on the re-branding the whole car sector in Renault S.a.
September 25, 2009 6:01 am
 Thunderkiss Thunderkiss
ING were going to withdraw their sponsorship at the end of the season anyway, due to GFC.
September 25, 2009 6:17 am
 Xanavi23 Xanavi23
I do believe ING disapproves of Crash-Gate but like others here, obviously its also an excuse to cut something financially "tapping" in light of these events. Both are the reasons.
September 27, 2009 12:54 pm