OCTOBER 20, 2008

Gulf Air signs big new Bahrain GP sponsorship deal

Gulf Air has agreed a new five-year deal to sponsor the Bahrain Grand Prix. Presumably the announcement was made in Shanghai in order to draw attention to the non-stop flights between Bahrain and Shanghai which were inaugurated in the summer. Gulf Air is wholly-owned by the government of Bahrain while the Bahrain Circuit is controlled by Mumtalakat, the investment company of Bahrain (which also owns a shareholding in McLaren).

It is worth noting that Gulf Air recently agreed a sponsorship deal with English soccer club Queens Park Rangers, which is part-owned by Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone.