GREATWORTH, U.K., Mar. 4, 2016 – The Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team will never be short of a place to stay as it races across the globe, thanks to a new partnership with one of the world’s leading hotel companies, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).
IHG, which has a strong history of sponsoring motor racing teams, drivers and associations, will provide accommodation to the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team during the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
IHG has more than 5,000 hotels in nearly 100 countries, spread across a broad portfolio of brands including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, and the Holiday Inn brand family. It also operates IHG® Rewards Club, the world’s largest loyalty programme, with more than 92 million members worldwide.
“Welcome to IHG, who join Castrol, Sparco, Brembo and Michelin as partners of Ford Chip Ganassi Racing,” said Ford Performance global director, Dave Pericak. “The people on our race team work incredibly hard so it’s important that they have a great place to stay when they are away from home. But beyond a simple commercial partnership, we see this as a much more strategic relationship. IHG are already a huge supplier to Ford around the world and we are set to further strengthen that over the coming years.”
The Ford Chip Ganassi Racing WEC team starts a two-day test at Motorland Aragon in Spain today after completing the build of its Ford GT racing cars. The team’s full line-up of Marino Franchitti, Stefan Mücke, Olivier Pla and Andy Priaulx will be on track, along with the new IHG Rewards Club branding, to complete a busy testing programme ahead of the team’s first race at Silverstone in April.
"We are delighted to be teaming up with Ford. It is a brand IHG shares many synergies with, not least our heritage, commitment to innovation and global footprint,” said Keith Barr, Chief Commercial Officer, IHG. “We're also very excited to be part of Ford GT Racing's return to Le Mans, some 50 years after an historic win, and we're looking forward to what we think will be a hugely rewarding relationship."
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Mich. With about 199,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and data and analytics. For more informationn regarding Ford, its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.
Ford of Europeis responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 53,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and approximately 68,000 people when joint ventures and unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 24 manufacturing facilities (16 wholly owned or consolidated joint venture facilities and 8 unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.
About InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN™ Hotels, Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.
IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns more than 5,000 hotels and 744,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries, with more than 1,300 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty programme with more than 92 million members worldwide.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 350,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.
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Lindsay Morle
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