Fujitsu General will end its title sponsorship arrangement with V8 Supercars’ Development Series at the end of this season.
After six years as the major backer, the air conditioner company has decided to end its association with the series.
Fujitsu will remain involved in V8 Supercars through its sponsorship of Garry Rogers Motorsport and Development Series river Scott McLaughlin.
V8 Supercars says that it is currently in negotiations with Fujitsu regarding its future involvement with the organisation, but confirmed it will soon announce a new sponsor for the Development Series.
“Fujitsu is finalising its sponsorship arrangement with V8 Supercars for 2012 and beyond,” a V8 Supercars spokesperson told Speedcafe.com.
“V8 Supercars will confirm a new sponsor for the Development Series in the coming months.”
The V8 Development Series has had three naming-rights backers in its 12 year history. In its inaugural year, the category was known as the Konica V8 Lites Series, before a three-year stint as simply the Konica V8 Supercars Series. In 2004, the class was known as the Konica Minolta Series, reflecting the company’s new name.
In 2005, the Holden Performance Driving Centre took out a one-year deal as the title sponsor before Fujitsu stepped in, remaining in place for what will be six-consecutive years at the conclusion of the 2011 season.
Champions of the class include two-time winners Dean Canto and Steve Owen, plus Simon Wills, Paul Dumbrell, Mark Winterbottom, Andrew Jones, Adam Macrow, Tony D’Alberto and Jonathon Webb.
Triple Eight Race Engineering’s Andrew Thompson currently leads this year’s Fujitsu V8 Series, ahead of David Russell and Jack Perkins.
