Robert Kubica at Alfa Romeo with Orlen
Robert Kubica is determined to stay in the F1 paddock. He thus becomes the reserve driver for Alfa Romeo, which will also include Orlen, the Polish driver's sponsor, in its official name.
He was rumored to be the third driver at Haas. Ultimately, Robert Kubica opted for a return to his roots at Alfa Romeo. It was within the Hinwil structure, then under the name BMW Sauber, that he achieved his only Grand Prix victory.
But the main impact of this arrival is on the team’s finances. Indeed, thanks to his unwavering popularity in Poland, Robert Kubica is very generously supported by the local oil brand PKN Orlen. It has decided to secure significant presence as it becomes the title co-sponsor of the team, now known as Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen.
His presence on the cars and suits of Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi is set to be massive. If the brand has made this effort, it’s because it could rely on the results of its association with the driver when he was with Williams, and Orlen benefited from a presence on the rear wing and mirrors.
Thus, Daniel Obajtek, its CEO, provided specific figures on this return on investments: « In sports, as in life, consistency is crucial. When last year we supported Robert Kubica’s return to Formula 1, we knew we were making sports history but also opening a new chapter in the history of the Orlen brand. Last season exceeded our expectations. The value of our logo after 16 races exceeded 110 million zlotys (25 million euros). We also significantly increased the profits of our distribution network. »
It was thus decided to bring all the service stations in the network under a single brand to fully leverage the impact of its presence in F1. This shows that the brand’s strategy goes far beyond supporting a single driver and is part of a broader commercial development strategy.
With the participation of www.racingbusiness.fr
