News : BlackBerry sign up a partnership with Mercedes for Formula One

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team has announced its partnership with BlackBerry as the official mobile computing partner. BlackBerry will collaborate with the team on technical and marketing opportunities. The new BlackBerry 10 platform will deliver tools and services for MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS and fan engagement will be improved through the joint development of apps. BlackBerry 10 smartphones will also be used by the team so they can ‘keep moving’ throughout the Formula One season.

Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton uses a BlackBerry Z10 to capture the new F1W04 Silver Arrow. See it in the video below:

Press Release
As the new Silver Arrow, the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W04, completes its first laps this morning at the Jerez circuit in Spain, the team is delighted to announce a significant new partnership agreement with BlackBerry (NASDAQ: RIMM, TSX: RIM).
As the Official Mobile Computing Partner for the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team, BlackBerry will collaborate with the team on technical and marketing opportunities. The new BlackBerry 10 platform will deliver tools and services for MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS and fan engagement will be improved through the joint development of apps. BlackBerry 10 smartphones will also be used by the team so they can ‘keep moving’ throughout the Formula One season.

The new partnership sees the iconic BlackBerry branding featured prominently on the chassis and headrest of the F1 W04 Silver Arrow, the racesuits of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and on the team’s racewear kit. As the Official Mobile Computing Partner, BlackBerry and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS will be working closely together to develop the team’s use of the BlackBerry 10 platform at the team’s headquarters and at each Grand Prix.

Ross Brawn, Team Principal at the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team commented: “On the day that our new Silver Arrow, the F1 W04, is launched, we are very pleased to announce our partnership with BlackBerry. We are looking forward to embracing the new BlackBerry 10 platform at both a technical and operational level, as well as collaborating with the team at BlackBerry to bring new mobile innovation to MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS. It is especially pleasing to be able to launch this exciting partnership today as the latest Silver Arrow takes to the track with BlackBerry branding.”

Frank Boulben, Chief Marketing Officer at BlackBerry, said: “Formula One is all about precision engineering, design and innovation – three values that mirror the approach that’s gone into creating BlackBerry 10. It is a natural fit for BlackBerry to partner with the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team to deliver value through technical and marketing collaboration. We have built BlackBerry 10 to keep people moving, and we believe the essence of this will be delivered at many levels through our partnership”.

About MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS
The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team competes in the FIA Formula One World Championship and is based at the team’s Operations Centre in Brackley, UK. Home to over 500 employees, the team is headed by multiple World-Championship winning Ross Brawn, and owned by Daimler AG along with shareholders Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff. The engines for the team’s Formula One cars are provided by Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains based in Brixworth, Northamptonshire.

About BlackBerry
A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Research In Motion announced that effective January 30, 2013, the Company would operate around the world under the iconic name BlackBerry. The legal name of the company has not changed, but the Company will do business as BlackBerry until shareholders vote for the official change at the Company’s Annual General Meeting later in 2013. Effective Monday, February 4, 2013, the Company commenced trading under its new ticker symbols “BB” on the Toronto Stock Exchange and “BBRY” on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.