Camel In F1 Return?
The distinctive Camel brand may return to Formula One in the near future, several seasons after it was last seen in the category.
The suggestion that Camel sponsorship may be seen on next season's Benettons follows the acquisition of the brand by Japan tobacco, which currently backs the team through its Mild Seven cigarette division. Camel were associated with Benetton during the formative years of Michael Schumacher's career, and may replace the now familiar two-tone blue of Mild Seven in order to appeal to the wider markets selling Camel products.
The distinctive Camel brand may return to Formula One in the near future, several seasons after it was last seen in the category.
The suggestion that Camel sponsorship may be seen on next season's Benettons follows the acquisition of the brand by Japan tobacco, which currently backs the team through its Mild Seven cigarette division. Camel were associated with Benetton during the formative years of Michael Schumacher's career, and may replace the now familiar two-tone blue of Mild Seven in order to appeal to the wider markets selling Camel products.
The purchase of Camel - and its owner, RJR Nabisco - makes Japan Tobacco the third largest cigarette company in the world, but also allows it access to the non-tobacco products associated with the brand. Camel's links with the cross-country trophy which bears its name has spawned a range of leisure wear - amongst other things - and this may prove useful when tobacco sponsorship is forced out of Formula One in the next few years.
There are also suggestions that the Mild Seven sponsorship will switch to the works Honda effort due to enter F1 in 2000, although these have not, as yet, been substantiated.
