Brazilian Racing News: Petrobras Sponsors Teams
10 February 1999
The biggest Brazilian petroleum company, Petrobrás, announced this week that they will invest in 10 different racing series in 99. Petrobrás is the official gas supplier for Williams, and the team already said that Petrobrás gave them 0,8 hp more power. Together with Williams, Petrobrás created the Petrobrás Junior Team that will race Max Wilson and Bruno Junqueira in F-1 Junior (former F-3000). Petrobrás is also sponsoring two Sudam F-3 Teams (Avallone and Prop Car) and Flávio Nonô Figueiredo in the Sudam Touring Car Championship. According to rumours, the investment is over US$ 40 millions in 1999, despite the company having officially announced that it is less than US$ 15 millions. For the first time in Brazil, a company will also gave to the best F-3 driver a chance to drive in F-1 Junior, for the best F-Chevrolet driver, a chance to go up to Sudam F-3 and so on. "We wanted to make a ladder, where the drivers that have talent can climb and reach the top series, F-1 and CART" said Claudio Thompson, director of the Comissão de Esporte Motor, the section of Petrobrás responsable for the Racing Investments.
