Scuderia Ferrari HP has announced an extension and expansion of its partnership with cybersecurity firm Bitdefender.
Initially coming on board in 2022, Bitdefender will remain the Italian team’s exclusive Cybersecurity Partner after a new multi-year deal was confirmed ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix.
It is a clear indication of the prominent role now played by such companies as Formula 1 teams’ reliance on data protection is ever-increasing.
“We are pleased to extend our partnership with Bitdefender, a company that shares Ferrari’s values of innovation, excellence and reliability,” said Lorenzo Giorgetti, Ferrari’s Chief Racing Revenue Officer.
“In a sport where every detail counts, trust is fundamental and having a partner like Bitdefender by our side allows us to focus fully on our racing activities, knowing that our technology and data are protected by one of the leaders in cybersecurity.”
In announcing the extension, Ferrari also confirmed that Bitdefender’s “visibility” around the team will also increase, with the logo currently displayed on the halo of drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, likely meaning the new deal is financially worth more than the previous agreement.
The contract with Bitdefender, which has its global HQ in Bucharest, was also praised by Ferrari’s Chief Digital Transformation Officer, Alfonso Fuggetta.
“As our cars and operations in Ferrari become ever more connected, cybersecurity is not just a technical necessity but a foundation for innovation and performance,” he said.
“We are happy to continue working with a trusted partner like Bitdefender to ensure that our digital infrastructure is as resilient and high-performing as we need our cars to be on and off track. Together, we’re building a secure environment that enables us to push boundaries with confidence.”
A number of F1 teams now have cybersecurity partners, including 1Password (Oracle Red Bull Racing), Arctic Wolf (BWT Alpine), Keeper (Atlassian Williams Racing), and CrowdStrike (Mercedes-AMG Petronas).
