TOKYO: Formula 1 heavyweights Ferrari will have its cars adorning a new livery beginning with the Japanese Grand Prix which will take place during the upcoming weekend. The team has taken this step to launch ‘Mission Winnow’, a global initiative started by its 45-year-old partner, Philip Morris International (PMI) which aims to create engagement around the role of science, technology and innovation as a powerful force for good in any industry.
PMI has been renowned as one of the world’s leading tobacco firms with Marlboro being one of its signature brands. However, since tobacco sponsorship is banned in Formula 1, the company hasn’t advertised any of its brands earlier with Ferrari. But the new livery will have white-coloured logos of the ‘Mission Winnow’ project that can be seen on the cars’ sidepods, engine covers and rear wings.
The company claims that the project is also in lieu of its renewed vision of transforming into a business which advocates innovations for a smoke-free future. The word “winnow” originally refers to the removal of chaff from grain, but it came to be used more broadly to describe the separating out of the unnecessary, the extraction of the good and distinguishing what is true from what is inaccurate or misleading.
“Through Mission Winnow we want to let the world know how we have changed, to share our pride in the transformation that the people of PMI have achieved, as well as our dedication to rigorous science and innovation that can lead to a better future,” PMI CEO André Calantzopoulos said.
“We will use this global platform as a window into the new PMI and to challenge preconceptions, as we know there are many who may have doubts about us and our motivations. Our partnership with Scuderia Ferrari gives us the opportunity to build on many encouraging individual conversations with critics and supporters alike and reach out to a broad audience to engage at scale.”
“Mission Winnow is about how we are transforming as a company, what we believe in and the way we work to enable a better future. Scuderia Ferrari is the ideal partner for Mission Winnow because of the team’s passion for innovation and drive to constantly improve in the quest for victory,” PMI President of Science & Innovation, Miroslaw Zielinski said.
“We are launching Mission Winnow in the F1 circuit because motorsport fans understand there is no reverse gear in racing, only forward thinking and we believe they will want to share this vision.”
“I would like to thank Philip Morris because they have the right to brand all the car since the beginning of the season,” Ferrari team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene was quoted as saying to Autosport.
“They were respectful of the red of the car, they left the car absolutely red.
“The reason why is simple: they said they are not in a hurry, our company’s changing, we are moving, launching a new mission.
“What we are doing is simple, Ferrari and Philip Morris just striving for the better, striving for a better internal performance, for researching day after day to learn from mistakes and go forward, to perform.
“You can say ‘OK but guys you are not winning [the championship] yet’ – yes, but are we learning.
“To be able to win in the future you need to be able to learn.” Arrivabene signed off.
