LADA Sport and title sponsor Lukoil have announced the immediate termination of their partnership in the World Touring Car Championship, with the team to be known simply as LADA Sport for the remainder of the season.
Lukoil had been the title sponsor of the works LADA team since the start of the 2012 season, when the Russian manufacturer returned to the series full-time.
Lukoil had in fact been involved in the championship since the 2011 season, sponsoring the SUNRED team with Gabriele Tarquini and Aleksei Dudukalo before striking a cooperation with SEAT Sport and running a pair of cars for the duo under the ‘Lukoil Racing Team’ banner in 2012.
In 2013, the Russian oil firm combined its sponsorship role with LADA with sponsorship of eventual title winner Yvan Muller in his independently-entered RML Chevrolet.
Lukoil have been hit hard in recent months by western sanctions against Russia, and the company’s departure comes ahead of a planned switch by LADA to sponsorship from Rosneft for the 2015 season.
The news does not affect driver Mikhail Kozlovskiy, who will continue with the squad for the remainder of the 2014 and 2015 seasons alongside Rob Huff and James Thompson.
