MAY 29, 1995

Sauber wins Petronas battle

PETER SAUBER has won the battle to secure sponsorship from the Malaysian national oil company Petronas. At Monaco the Sauber-Fords carried Petronas backing on their rear wings in a deal which is believed to be worth $4 million over the next two seasons.

Petronas - the full name is Petroliam Nasional Berhard - was given ownership of all Malaysia's oil and gas resources in 1974 and has since expanded to become a major player on the international oil market with ventures all across Asia and in Syria, Yemen and the Seychelles. The company comprises of a total of 49 companies, half of which are wholly owned subsidiaries. It employs 13,000 people and has annual sales of $6 billion.

Sauber was fighting with Jordan, Arrows and Pacific to win the deal and we understand that the value of the sponsorship dropped by a third in the course of negotiations.