Although there has♌ been no announcement on who will sponsor the team for the 2006 season, McLaren has announced that mobile phone giant Vodafone is to become its title sponsor from the start of 📖2007.

The deal will see Vodafone continue a commitment to F1 that started back in 2002, with the team name becoming Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Vod꧂afon👍e also becoming the 'official mobile partner' of the team.

Vodafone will receive branding on the new 2007 cars, drivers' and pit crews' overalls and helmets while behind the scenes access to the team will allow the company to bring exclusive content to customers using its Vodafone live! with 3G service - with the company also providing a number of additional McLaren related services to its custome🦄rs.

"We are excited about this new phase of involvement in motor racing," Vodafone chief marketing office Peter Bamford said. "As title sponsor of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes🃏 team it raises our association with Formula ♍One to the ultimate level.

"Th🦂e new agreement delivers a fantastic marketing platform; the associative rights we acquire as a result of this new sponsorship provide us with additional opportunities to continue to raise brand awareness, build brand preference and drive revenue. It will also provide our customers wit♉h unique and exciting content through Vodafone live! with 3G."

Mc﷽Laren chairman Ron Dennis was also pleased with the announcement of the deal, saying tܫhat Vodafone has more than fulfilled the criteria the team was looking for in a title sponsor.

"This is only the third time for more than 30 years that the opportunity to become the team's title sponsor has existed," he said. "The status of the brand and the level of activation in support of the sponsorship were key criteria for our choice of Title Sponsor and Vodafone over-de༒livers in all respects. In addition, as our agreement is long-term [into the new decade], this provides important stability within the team, allowing us ⛦to focus fully on our objective of winning races and Championships together.

"We are del🌳ighted to welcome Vodafon🎶e to the team and look forward to many future successes."

Vodafone already has a history ofꦬ working along🐎side Mercedes in the DTM championship.