West renews with McLaren

ALTHOUGH it is yet to be officially announced, we understand that the German tobacco company Reemtsma has agreed to extend its sponsorship of McLaren with its West cigarette brand. The initial five-year deal between McLaren and Reemtsma was signed in August 1996 and is due to run until the year 2001. The length of the new deal is not known but will probably be for at least three more years. Much will, of course, depend on the plans for a pan-European tobacco sponsorship ban.

The news is a big boost for McLaren which likes to have long-term deals in place.