Renault and top Spanish football league kick off partnership

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Renault Sport F1 is moving the goal posts of sponsorship thanks to a partnership it will enjoy this year with Spain's premier football league, LaLiga.

The country's first football division will enjoy a presence on the French team's R.S.18 as well as on the overalls of drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz, the latter being a huge fan of emblematic football club Real Madrid.

"We are very happy to announce this exciting and unique partnership with LaLiga, one of the world’s best football divisions,” said Antoine Magnan, Renault's Head of Partnerships.

"Renault Sport Formula One Team and LaLiga have many shared goals as we push to expand our reach worldwide.

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"Between the Formula 1 and LaLiga seasons we cover the entire year and there are cross-overs in our two fan bases that will be the springboard for exciting activities."

The partnership is the first of its kind for an F1 team and stems from LaLiga's desire to achieve visibility outside the world of football but within the sports arena, according to the association's brand director Enrique Moreno.

"We have been looking for innovative ideas that allow us to generate brand presence internationally and support our brand positioning ‘It’s not football. It’s LaLiga," he said.

"Motorsports and specifically Formula 1 fits perfectly with this strategy. Formula 1 fans are potential football fans.

"This new, year-long relationship is designed to further expand the LaLiga audience and grow awareness for our brand."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.