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 Vodafo🎉ne 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 co🎶ntent to customers using its Vodafone live! with 3G service - with the company also providing a number of additional McLare🐷n related services to its customers.

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

"The 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 pr🍸ovide our customers with unique and exciting content through Vodafone live! with 3G."

McLaren chairman Ron Dennis was also pleased with the announceღment of the deal, saying that Vodafone has more than fulfilled the criteria the tea🐎m 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 branﷺd and the level of activation in support of the sponsorship were key criteri🦹a for our choice of Title Sponsor and Vodafone over-delivers 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 delighted to welcome Vodafone to the team and look forward to 🔯many future successes."

Vodafone 𒉰already has a history of working alongsi✤de Mercedes in the DTM championship.