RACING HISTORY
MARTINI AND SPORTS
The company’s first venture into sports sponsorship goes back to the beginning of the 20th century with the organisation of a ‘Grand Martini & Rossi Cycling Trophy’ (1925).
In those years, cycling gripped the attention of Italians, and in 1934 and in 1936, the company launched promotional campaigns that followed the ‘Giro d’Italia’. In the following years MARTINI sponsored all the most important cycling races in Europe.
THE MARTINI INTERNATIONAL CLUB
An interest in sport can be traced back to the generation of the four Rossi di Montelera cousins, the former Martini & Rossi owners, all of whom were passionate sportsmen. Thanks to them, the Martini International Club ‘was founded in 1958, promoting high-level sporting disciplines for many years’, from motor sport to offshore racing, winter sports to horse riding, fencing, golf, tennis and skiing.
Martini & Rossi also paid attention to women’s sports, for example sponsoring the first women’s football world cup in 1970.
MARTINI RACING TEAM IS BORN
In 1968, Martini & Rossi made a major leap with the birth of the Martini Racing Team, with a focus on Endurance and Formula 1. This was a turning point, as MARTINI became more than just a sponsor — it actively partnered with a number of teams, influencing strategy and operations. The MARTINI Racing Team emerged from the International Club, introducing a more modern, hands-on approach to sponsorship.
ENDURANCE
The team’s debut in Endurance Races started in 1968 with Porsche. MARTINI Racing won its first Le Mans race in 1971; after years of success, the team won the World Championship for makers in 1976 and 1977. From 1980 to 1986 MARTINI partnered with Lancia in the Endurance series, winning the 1981 World Championship for makers.
FORMULA 1
MARTINI Racing’s journey in F1 began in 1972, teaming up with the spirited Italian Tecno racing team. This initial partnership marked the start of their ambitious pursuit in motorsport. From 1975 to 1978, MARTINI Racing had set its sights higher, initiating a partnership with Brabham, a team striving to secure its place in Formula 1; the team won two GPs in 1975, Germany and Brazil. In 1979, MARTINI joined forces with Lotus, one of the most winning and technologically advanced teams of that time.
The MARTINI brand returned triumphantly to Formula 1 as a sponsor for Ferrari between 2006 and 2008, rekindling its passion and love for racing. Then, from 2014 to 2018, MARTINI Racing established a partnership with the Williams team, a vibrant and celebrated chapter in their Formula 1 history.
RALLY
The first foray of MARTINI Racing in rallying was in 1978 with Porsche, but the biggest successes came some years after, in partnership with Lancia. Between 1982 and 1992, the Lancia MARTINI Racing Team cemented its legacy in international rallying, achieving dominance. This golden era saw them secure victories for an incredible six consecutive seasons, from 1987 to 1992, a feat that became the stuff of motorsport legend.
After a brief hiatus, MARTINI Racing returned to the spotlight from 1994 to 1996, this time with the Ford Escort. In 1999, MARTINI Racing re-emerged on the global stage, this time with the formidable Ford Focus. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in their storied rallying history, adding fresh successes to its iconic motorsport journey, which continued through to 2002.
POWERBOATING
In 1973 Martini & Rossi entered into an agreement with Offshore champion Carlo Bonomi, sponsoring his boat. MARTINI Racing thus joined the world of powerboat racing with a highly respected team. The collaboration was immediately successful and led the MARTINI Racing colors to win the 1973 and 1974 world championships.
MARTINI Racing’s commitment to Offshore and Powerboating competitions continued for over twenty years; leading the boats to victory were enrolled pilots of the class of Renato Molinari.
TOURING
Between 1992 and 1996, MARTINI Racing’s iconic blue, light blue and red stripes decorated the Alfa Romeo 155s, firstly in the Italian Touring Car Championship, a category attracting an ever-increasing number of car manufacturers and spectators, and then in the German DTM competitions. Leading the team were internationally renowned drivers such as Nicola Larini and Alessandro Nannini.
