• by Danielle Oster , October 16, 2024

HED: 

Ahead of the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix on Oct.r 20, AT&T has expanded its relationship with Oracle Red Bull Racing as the team’s “innovation partner.”

AT&T entered into an agreement for a multiyear extension of its deal with Oracle Red Bull Racing beginning in 2025. Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

AT&T confirmed that the new, expanded agreement includes additional  marketing rights. A brand representative told Marketing Daily that AT&T’s logo will be “prominently displayed” on the F1 car, as well as driver and team member kits, beginning in 2025. The logo will also be included in team sponsor boards, at mobile charging stations, and in media backdrops, which the brand says will ensure “visibility both on and off the track.”

In a statement, AT&T Chief Marketing and Growth Officer Kellyn Kenny called the relationship with Oracle Red Bull Racing “a pride point” for AT&T, adding, “Our new, expanded partnership will open up even greater possibility. We will be able to tap into the years of collaboration we’ve had on the technical side, to not only tell deep, meaningful stories but to create new, innovative experiences that will delight and excite fans."

AT&T’s partnership with Red Bull Racing dates back to 2011, and has historically focused on the technical side of things, with AT&T facilitating  connectivity solutions for the team: providing a unified communications channel connecting its on-site and off-site teams, allowing for the exchange of “real-time data,” and enhanced security features.

“We consider their… expertise in connectivity as mission-critical to our operation at the racetrack," Oracle Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal Christian Horner said in a statement. “AT&T’s partnership allows us to transport ever increasing amounts of data for the comprehensive analyses that lead to more precise decisions in the development of our cars before, during, and after each race.”

According to a release announcing the news, AT&T services data from 250 sensors on the team’s F1 car “ transmitted in near real-time from trackside locations around the globe” to its Milton Keyes, U.K. factory, and back,  “enabling split-second decisions that can lead to victory” in races decided by a fraction of a second. According to AT&T, the data volume has swelled more than fivefold since the beginning of its partnership with Red Bull Racing in 2011.

UPDATED on Oct. 18 to reflect additonal information from AT&T.