Force India signs deal with flip-flop brand Havaianas

Force India has announced a new sponsorship deal with flip-flop company Havaianas ahead of this weekend’s Formula 1 season-opener in Melbourne, Australia.

In a deal similar to the one McLaren announced last week, Force India will take advantage of the Halo cockpit protection device on its VJM11 F1 car - the look of which has often been compared to the strap on a flip-flop - and place Havaianas’ branding on it.

“We are delighted to bring Havaianas into Formula One. Where better than the halo to carry the famous Havaianas logo?” Force India chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer said.

“It’s a savvy move by this loved Brazilian brand, which will bring a touch of the beach to the paddock throughout the season. 

“We have always been an adventurous team with our marketing efforts, and after introducing the pink livery in 2017 we hope this partnership will appeal to all fun-loving Formula 1 fans in 2018.”

Marcio Utsch, CEO of Alpargatas, the makers of Havaianas, added: “This is huge news for Havaianas. We want to bring our fun and cool vibe to Formula One and the opportunity presented by Force India really grabbed our attention.

“At Havaianas, we pride ourselves on listening to the fans of our brand and over the last few months we have seen more and more people associating our flips-flops with the new halo across social media.

“Together with Force India we have come up with an eye-catching design on the car’s halo, which was the logical place to locate our flip-flop strap.

“We are looking forward to engaging with Formula 1 fans at races around the world throughout the year, so stay tuned for some exciting developments.”

Havaianas branding will feature in Australia this weekend and at select races through the remainder of the F1 season, including the Brazilian Grand Prix in November.