IndyCar has announced that telecommunications firm Verizon has stepped up from its current status as an official partner to assume title sponsorship of the US motor racing series under a new multi-year deal.
IndyCar has been on the lookout for a new title sponsor after fashion brand Izod ended a three-year run in the position at the end of 2013. North America’s leading open-wheel racing championship will now be named the Verizon IndyCar Series, with the agreement commencing at the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 30.
The collaboration includes significant network coverage upgrades to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of its Project 100 initiative; short and long-term technology enhancements to IndyCar Race Control; the addition of pit lane monitors and enhancing connectivity for spectators at each domestic race venue.
Verizon will also deploy its LTE Multicast solution at racetracks in the future, complementing the Verizon IndyCar 14 app and indycar.com, the series’ official website. LTE Multicast delivers multi-faceted multimedia content to multiple devices at once rather than sending it in a separate stream to each user.
Verizon has been an official partner of IndyCar for the past four years and the primary sponsor of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car driven by Will Power. The relationship with the team owned by Roger Penske will expand for the 2014 season as Verizon also will be the primary sponsor of the No. 2 entry driven by 2000 Indianapolis 500 winner and former Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya for at least eight races.
Verizon will also continue its sponsorship of the Verizon P1 Award presented to the pole winner at each IndyCar race.
“Verizon is the perfect partner for us to showcase the high level of innovation and technology that is inherent in our sport,” Mark Miles, chief executive of Hulman & Co., parent company of IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said. “IndyCar will provide a large audience of tech-savvy consumers who are eager for the latest technology to further enhance their experience. Verizon’s commitment to IndyCar demonstrates its belief in the direction of our sport and further corroborates our long-term goals.”