Ecclestone, F1 To Finalize Five-Year, $200M Sponsorship Deal With Emirates

F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone "is expected to seal a sponsorship deal for Formula One with Emirates Airlines" in Dubai on Tuesday worth about $200M, according to Kerr & Blitz of the FINANCIAL TIMES. Ecclestone is understood to have convinced Emirates to sign a five-year deal that in terms of size "would make it one of the biggest in motorsport." Gulf states have been big sponsors of F1 over the past few years but Dubai entities "have been largely absent from F1." Emirates is expected to be a title sponsor of F1, joining a clutch of other companies, including UBS, Rolex, Pirelli, Tata Communications and LG. It is understood that under the terms of the agreement "its livery will not be on display at the Abu Dhabi and Bahrain Grand Prix." Emirates declined to comment. Ecclestone could not be reached for comment (FINANCIAL TIMES. 2/5).