Raikkonen took beer sponsor to Alfa Romeo

Kimi Raikkonen

(GMM) Kimi Raikkonen took a personal sponsor with him to Alfa Romeo.

Until last year, the Thai beer Singha appeared on the Ferrari livery. It was not widely known that it was Finn Raikkonen's personal sponsor.

The brand now has a much larger presence on the Alfa Romeo livery.

Voravud Bhirombhakdi, the Singha vice president, told Ilta Sanomat newspaper that he got an email from Raikkonen proposing a collaboration.

"He told me he wanted to do something together. He told us he likes our brand. At first I thought it was a joke," Bhirombhakdi, also a Ferrari importer, said.

"He had a big influence," he said of Raikkonen.

Asked what he expects from the new Raikkonen-Alfa Romeo collaboration, Bhirombhakdi answered: "We see potential.

"We believe in the team and Kimi, otherwise he would not have moved here. We believe the team can develop step by step."