LONDON, England - German fashion brand Hugo Boss will be racing with the Mercedes Formula 1 team in 2015 after a decade-long association with McLaren which in 2015 will be powered by Honda.
Mercedes said on Wednesday (Oct 1 2014): "With Mercedes-Benz and Hugo Boss formally intensifying its existing co-operations earlier in 2014, extending the partnership into the brand's F1 team was a logical progression."
The fashion company will provide team clothing with branding also appearing on the race cars driven by Britain's Lewis Hamilton and Germany's Nico Rosberg.
'INAPPROPRIATE PARTNERSHIP'
The move was expected, with McLaren recognising in July that it would be "inappropriate" for Hugo Boss to stay with a Mercedes rival, given the fashion company's close co-operation with the German automaker in other promotional areas.
Boss has been with McLaren since 1981 in one of the longest partnerships in sport but the British team is in its last season with Mercedes engines - 2015 will see it switch from Mercedes to Honda-built 'power units'.
While not a major source of funding, Boss had been a big part of McLaren's identity through fashion shoots and as a provider of clothing.