Formula 1: Mosley plans to ban tobacco advertising
Max Mosley, president of Formula One’s world governing body, FIA, will today unveil plans to ban tobacco advertising in the sport.
Cigarette sponsorship currently brings in an estimated £250m at all levels of motor sport and top Formula One teams such as Ferrari and McLaren rely heavily on tobacco cash.
But Mosley plans to end tobacco advertising by the end of the 2006 season and will urge teams to seek alternative sources of funding.
An FIA statement said: ‘‘It is our intention to ban tobacco sponsorship from international motor sport by the end of the 2006 season.
‘‘We will seek support for this initiative from all countries that host FIA World Championship events. We will encourage motor sport competitors to diversify away from tobacco sponsorship.’’
The move comes as a boost to several European grands prix whose future has been threatened by national tobacco sponsorship bans.
The 1999 Belgian Grand Prix was close to a last-minute cancellation due to planned local laws on advertising amid rumours that Spa Francorchamps’ slot on the calendar could go to a country such as China who allowed tobacco ads.
