By Alan Baldwin
LONDON, June 14 (Reuters) - Dutch brewer Heineken's
sponsorship deal with Formula One, announced last week, has
led to renewed calls from European campaigners for a ban on
alcohol sponsorship in the sport.
European Alcohol Policy Alliance network Eurocare, which
groups public health and non-governmental organisations, said on
Tuesday it wanted stronger legislation from the European
Commission and member states.
France, a country without a Formula One grand prix, already
bans alcohol sponsorship of sporting events.
"F1 should ask themselves if they want to be a motorsport or
an alcohol brand event," said Eurocare general secretary Mariann
Skar in a statement that estimated the Heineken deal to be worth
$150 million to F1 over five years.
"If both the sport and the drinks producers want to be seen
as responsible industries, they should stop this deal and move
away from alcohol sponsorship in F1."
Eurocare also published a letter sent to Jean Todt, the
president of Formula One's governing body, the International
Automobile Federation (FIA).
Todt, a Frenchman and former Ferrari (NYSE:RACE) principal, has made
reducing the number of motoring fatalities a cornerstone of his
presidency and is a United Nations special envoy for road
safety.
"We would like to remind you that drink driving is one of
the key killers on the road. It is therefore worrying that F1 is
now bringing the link between alcohol brands and motor sport
even closer together," the letter said.
"We would like to request that you take this issue seriously
and consider moving away from these sponsorship agreements, as
you did with tobacco sponsorship."
Tobacco companies were big backers of Formula One until the
sport kicked the habit in 2008, although the Philip Morris brand
Marlboro remains a Ferrari partner without on-car branding.
A report published by Eurocare last year analysed the 2014
showcase Monaco Grand Prix, one of the most-watched races of the
season, for alcohol brand exposure and found viewers received an
average of 11 references per minute over two hours.
Ferrari, Williams, McLaren and Force India all have alcohol
branding while Diageo's Johnnie Walker has been Formula One's
official whisky since 2014 with considerable trackside
advertising.
Heineken branding was prominent at Sunday's Canadian Grand
Prix in Montreal.
Formula One, with most other motorsport series, also has a
podium ceremony that involves the spraying of Champagne or
sparkling wine -- with the exception of races in the Islamic
world.
Heineken have said the F1 partnership will promote the
brewer's "If You Drive, Never Drink" campaign.
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)