Aircraft

AirAsia has signed a three year sponsorship deal with Formula 1 Grand Prix racing team AT&T Williams, which will see the low fare carrier’s logo appearing on the nose of the team’s FW29 car from this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix.

The Kuala Lumpur-based carrier is already a sponsor of the UK premiership football team Mancheter United, and joins Etihad Airways and Kingfisher Airlines as an airline currently sponsoring a Formula 1 team. Emirates also sponsored McLaren-Mercedes last year under a one year deal.

Although the AirAsia tie-up will be formally unveiled at a press conference on Wednesday ahead of this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, the WilliamsF1 FW29’s nose was adorned with the red AirAsia logo for the first time during last week’s Formula 1 test session at Mayalasia’s Sepang circuit. AirAsia’s logo will also appear on the drivers’ helmets.

Wednesday’s press conference will be attended by Air Asia’s group chief executive Tony Fernandes and Patrick Head, co-owner of Williams. AT&T Williams driver Nico Rosberg will also be on hand for a tour of AirAsia’s flight simulator.