Hong Kong-based QI Ltd which boasts of a market base of over 4 million partners and customers in the Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas and Europe, has injected a multimillion dollar investment in the title sponsorship of Team Meritus racers over the past two years. The synergy which began between the multinational company and Meritus has brought so many mutual benefits for both sponsor and team, as the e-commerce giant goes on a quest to promote motorsports in Asia and create a legion of world-class champions.
The involvement of QI Ltd in motorsports will generate goodwill and reinforce QI's corporate brand image as the sports sponsorship is adopted as a mainstream marketing activity. This long-term sponsorship will project QI as a dynamic multinational conglomerate that is always spearheading into new territories.
Mr Joachim Steffen, Director of Product Development said of sponsoring Meritus racing:
"I am proud of the results we had last season and I am confident we will produce quality results a second time around. We have a winning history with Formula BMW and Formula V6, especially in the rookie championships, so now its time to take what we’ve learned and apply it to winning the GP2 Asia series championship.”
"Seeing as this is the second time the MY Team QI-Meritus.Mahara team will work together, I think you will see the chemistry and synergy that developed during the first season. I believe this will be the defining moment where My QI-Meritus.Mahara makes a name for itself, ultimately bringing Malaysia, their home country, to the world.”
History of QI and Team Meritus
QI Ltd’s association with Team Meritus began in 2006 when QI became the title sponsor for the team in the final rounds of the Formula V6 series at the Zhuhai International Circuit in China. The team’s leading driver, Marchy Lee from Hong Kong, won the championship.
In 2007, the QI Group of Companies sponsored Malaysian-based Team Meritus for the full season of 2007 Formula BMW Asia series. Team Meritus’ impressive 48 wins in championships held from 2003 to 2007 and its young star drivers, Jazeman Jaafar and James Grunwell helped to leverage the QI Group’s brand positioning in Asia.
The first quarter of 2008 brought new challenges and new drivers as Team QI-Meritus.Mahara, the only true Asian team, joined the GP2 Series in Asia and the Middle East. The official training ground and gateway to the elite F1, GP2 racing is as exhilarating, if not more so due to the highly competitive nature in the pursuit of F1 status.
Racing with two young and gifted drivers, Luca Filippi of Italy and Japan's Hiroki Yoshimoto at the helm, and an elite team of experienced mechanics and engineers, Team QI-Meritus.Mahara showed the world they have the potential to achieve victory.
GP2 Asian Series
The GP2 Series, or GP2 for short, is a form of motor racing introduced in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term Formula One ‘feeder’ sport, Formula 3000. Designed to make racing affordable for the teams and to make it the perfect training ground for life in Formula One, GP2 races take place as support races at Formula One race weekends to boost the series’ profile and to give drivers experience in the Grand Prix environment.
The GP2 Asia Series, which is based on the GP2, was officially announced during the weekend of the 2007 Monaco Grand Prix. The 2008 GP2 Series is the first year of the second generation of the F1 feeder category. The category came into existence in 2005 and since that time has seen some of the most respected young talents in racing rise through its ranks to take their place in the pinnacle of global motorsport.
This season the GP2 Series will visit ten circuits as the official support event to the FIA Formula One World Championship. Twenty-six (26) drivers from 13 teams will compete for the championship and the $100,000 Bridgestone prize which comes with it.
My Team QI-Meritus.Mahara
The only truly Asian team in the GP2 Asian series, My Team QI-Meritus.Mahara which is based in Malaysia, is the team known for having won 27 Asian motorsport titles and having the ability to discover and nurture strong local Asian talents.
My Team QI-Meritus.Mahara has confirmed it will compete in the second GP2 Asia season with two cars carrying numbers 18 and 19. The team is being supported by QI Ltd through its subsidiary, QuestNet, as its title sponsor for the second GP2 Asia season. Experienced Malaysian driver Alex Yoong will be part of the strong driver line-up for My Team Qi-Meritus.Mahara as well as New Zealand rookie Earl Bamber.
The first round of the season will take place at Shanghai on 18-19 October, as a support race to the F1 Grand Prix weekend. The season will take in six, two-race rounds ending in Bahrain on 19 April 2009.
My Team QI-Meritus.Mahara Post-Shanghai Races
5/6 December - Dubai
23/24 January - Bahrain
27/28 February - Dubai
4/5 April - Sepang
18/19 April – Bahrain
(Left to right) MY Team QI-Meritus.Mahara owner Peter Thompson poses with QI Director of International Operations Mr Richard Zinkiewicz, Malaysian driver Alex Yoong, and QI Director of Product Development Mr Joachim Steffen
Bamber’s second place finish was a great start for MY Team QI-Meritus.Mahara |