MCLAREN RACING UND VELO STARTEN NEUE ESPORTS-SERIE

The VELO ESERIES, consisting of four parts, will feature prominent personalities competing against internet sensations.

McLaren Racing and VELO, a leading nicotine pouch brand under British American Tobacco (BAT), have launched the VELO ESERIES as part of their global partnership. This marks VELO's expansion into the world of esports, allowing the brand to engage adult audiences with exciting content and increase global brand awareness while responding to the ongoing environment.

Presented by former Top Gear presenter and TV host Rory Reid, the four-part VELO ESERIES will feature prominent personalities competing against internet sensations. The series kicks off this weekend with internationally renowned DJ, singer-songwriter, and producer Craig David and Supercar Blondie, the world's biggest automotive creator.

The VELO ESERIES brings together VELO's passion points to elevate global brand awareness and connect fans from the worlds of motorsport, music, and entertainment. It will enable VELO to reach its adult nicotine consumers in new, exciting, and engaging ways, pitting them against celebrities for a range of exclusive prizes, including VELO-branded racing overalls, gloves, and gaming consoles.

Mark Waller, Chief Commercial Officer at McLaren Racing, said, "McLaren and VELO share a similar passion for putting fans at the heart of engaging experiences. It's great to start the new year with this exciting new racing initiative as we await the start of the new Formula 1 season. Fan engagement is more important than ever in these times, so it's fantastic to be developing fantastic experiences like this with our partners."

Paul Lageweg, Director New Categories at BAT, said, "VELO is all about creating exciting experiences for our adult nicotine consumers and encouraging them to push their boundaries. With our new VELO ESERIES program, we are bringing this to life. The popularity of adult gaming continues to rise, so we're excited to tap into this trend and give it an exciting and entertaining twist with some famous faces. We must always look for new and creative digital opportunities to leverage our global partnerships to engage with our consumers and captivate audiences around the world."

Craig David, DJ, singer-songwriter, and producer, said, "Hanging out at McLaren's headquarters was an incredible experience, with them really putting me through my paces with F1 training and simulator exercises - hopefully, I'll bring some serious skills to the virtual race. Huge thanks to the entire team there and at VELO for allowing me to be part of this racing series!"

Alexandra Hirschi, Supercar Blondie, said, "I loved racing against music legend Craig David. That's what I love about cars; it brings people together who would never meet otherwise. VELO and McLaren have brought real fun back into esports!"

VELO ESERIES 1 kicks off this weekend, with additional episodes to be broadcasted in the coming months and concluding in late April. All content will be available on VELO's social media channels, including the live stream of each virtual race on VELO's YouTube channel. The race between Craig David and Supercar Blondie for Series 1 will take place at 1 PM (GMT) on Saturday, February 6th.

The VELO brand is a leading nicotine pouch brand and part of BAT's portfolio of new category products offering alternatives to traditional leaf tobacco products for adult nicotine consumers. The company has been a principal partner of McLaren Racing since early 2019, a partnership aimed at accelerating its transformation with these new products it offers.