Gulf Oil has announced a multi-year partnership with Williams Racing, which will see the lubricants brand logos adorn the new Williams FW45 in the Formula 1 World Championship.
Williams is in a process of re-establishing itself following the sale of the team to Dorilton Capital in 2021. The signing of Gulf Oil, a legendary brand in motorsports, is a major coup for the team, demonstrating a new era of commercial investment.
Together, Williams Racing and Gulf will write the next chapter of the lubricant brand’s motorsport story. Alongside the partnership beyond the Formula 1, Gulf will partner the Williams Racing Driver Academy and Williams Esports. This expansion ultimately allows Gulf to play a part in contributing to junior motorsport drivers’ careers and showcasing industry access for all.
Gulf Oil branding across Williams Racing team
The high-octane partnership will see the vibrant colours of Gulf adorn the new FW45, race driver suits, pitstop gantry and some of the team’s key pitstop personnel. There will be a number of high-profile marketing initiatives throughout the year that will embody a shared vision of a bright modern future for motorsport, both on and off the track.
Gulf Oil ended its partnership with McLaren last year, having had a smaller sponsorship role. Nevertheless, the team did pay homage to Gulf’s motorsport history at the Monaco Grand Prix in 2021, with the usual papaya orange making way for the orange and light blue colours synonymous with the lubricants brand in racing, particularly at Le Mans.
While Williams will be running a slightly updated livery on its 2023 challenger, with the dark blue and red accents returning, Gulf Oil CEO Mike Jones told Autosport that the brand is open to a one-off livery option in the future.
Partnership brings potential beyond the track
Activations with the Williams Racing Driver Academy and Williams Esports will ensure Gulf can reach new audiences and play a role in the success stories of younger generations. The forward-thinking partnership will also comprise future-forward and digitally-enabled fan engagement opportunities in order to help bring fans of Williams Racing, Gulf and Formula 1 closer to the sport they love.
“I am incredibly excited about this partnership between Williams Racing and Gulf, a renowned and trusted global brand, who have put their trust in us as a long-term partner,” commented Matthew Savage, Chairman of the Board, Williams Racing. “This signifies the strength of our brand and commercial offerings as we continue our transformation. Gulf and Williams Racing share an illustrious motorsport heritage and, together, we are making history with this partnership.”
Mike Jones added: “Gulf has a proud history in motorsport with some of the most iconic and respected teams, and Williams Racing is no exception. Together we share decades of motorsport experience to bring motorsport, Formula 1 and Williams Racing fans closer to the sport they love through our partnership. We are also excited to expand our foothold in motorsport through the Williams Racing Driver Academy and Williams Esports.
“Together we share a vision of a bright modern future for motorsport on and off the track, made possible through our common culture of partnership and innovation. This makes Williams Racing the perfect partner for Gulf, and we’re excited to start this next chapter of our iconic motorsport story.”
The Williams Racing FW45 will take to the track for the first time in pre-season testing at Bahrain, with Alex Albon and new-signing Logan Sargent behind the wheel, before the 2023 Formula 1 season starts at the Sakhir circuit on 3rd March.
