Paysafe Signals Major Expansion into USA with New 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series Partnership

Leading global payments provider, Paysafe, today announced a significantly heightened focus in both the US and motor sport markets, as part of its ongoing global brand strategy aimed at exploiting the substantial growth opportunities it has identified in North America.

Following a successful partnership with Canadian rookie driver, Zach Claman De Melo (19), in a single Verizon IndyCar Series race last year, Paysafe will become the primary and naming sponsor to two of the sport’s up and coming drivers for the entire 2018 Indy car racing season. North America’s hugely popular Indy car open-wheel racing dates back over 100 years and is the fastest and most technologically advanced racing series in the continent.

Under the new deal, Paysafe will partner with Dale Coyne Racing to provide continued sponsorship to De Melo as its primary brand ambassador as well as extending its patronage to his Brazilian teammate, up and coming driver Pietro Fittipaldi (21). Fittipaldi is the grandson of two-time Formula 1 champion, Emerson Fittipaldi, one of the sport’s greats. The two drivers will take turns piloting the Paysafe car throughout the season.

This year, the Verizon IndyCar Series opens on March 11 in St Petersburg, Florida, and concludes in Sonoma, California, on September 16. De Melo will be the first of the pair to take the wheel of the Paysafe car in the first three road course races that includes the opening race in St. Petersburg on the 1.8-mile temporary circuit set up on city streets and a runway of Albert Whitted Airport.

With the support of his long-time sponsors and Escuderia Telmex, Fittipaldi will pilot the Paysafe car, starting with the first two oval events, and make his season debut at the Phoenix Grand Prix on April 7. He will attempt to qualify for the Series’ blue-ribbon event, the Indianapolis 500, which takes place on May 27. The Indianapolis 500 continues to be the single most attended sporting event in the world.

According to Oscar Nieboer, Paysafe’s Chief Marketing Officer, the decision to sign an extended race partnership this year reflects Paysafe’s intention to build its brand in the North American market and the ongoing mutual focus of both Paysafe and the Dale Coyne Racing team of ‘identifying and supporting emerging opportunities coupled with delivering performance at the highest level.’

“Indy car racing is extremely high profile in North America and this is a region where we see significant growth opportunities for our business. It makes strategic sense to build on our initial involvement in last year’s season, and make our full debut as a leading partner in the 2018 season. We very much see this partnership programme as a central component of our North American brand strategy," said Nieboer.

“Zach and Pietro are both exceptional drivers and embody the very spirit that we believe defines Paysafe: a laser focus on performance at the highest level combined with a proven track record of speed, agility and safety. This makes them both fantastic brand ambassadors and we wish them every success in their respective races piloting the Paysafe car," continued Nieboer.

Team Owner, Dale Coyne, added: “We are very pleased to have a leading global payments provider like Paysafe come on board to the exciting sport of Indy car racing as part of their North American expansion strategy. With Zach's and Pietro’s ever-growing skills, we look forward to a competitive 2018 for Paysafe."