Monday January 10th, 2000

Reuters Group Plc announced today that it has signed a three-year agreement to sponsor the BMW Williams team in the Formula One World Championship.

The global information and news group gave no financial details about the sponsorship deal.

"With the advent of the Internet, we want to communicate the strength of the Reuters brand with more impact; Formula One sponsorship is a good means of achieving this goal," said Jean-Claude Marchand, chief executive of Reuters Global Sales and Operations arm.

BMW is the main partner of the Williams team. Other sponsors include Nortel Networks, Andersen Consulting, Castrol, Petrobras and German brewer Veltins.