As Method 1 continues to evolve past pure motorsport into a worldwide enterprise, know-how and sustainability platform, partnerships are more and more outlined by performance moderately than mere branding. Vellamo Water’s multi-year cope with TGR Haas F1 Staff positions the Finnish premium water model on the intersection of efficiency, innovation, and environmental duty.
We sat down with Teemu Oksa, President & CEO of Vellamo Group, to debate why TGR Haas F1 Staff made sense for the model, how they measure success, and what lies forward for his or her product and sustainability technique.
On Getting into a Partnership with TGR Haas F1 Staff
Daniel Horvath: Vellamo enters the game because the Official Hydration Associate of TGR Haas F1 Staff. From a enterprise perspective, what made F1 – and Haas particularly – the suitable platform on your world growth technique?
Teemu Oksa: The necessary issue for us is that this strongly ties into the worldwide hospitality element of our enterprise, which is among the core elements of what we do on a worldwide scale. We felt that the platform actually helps our progress technique internationally.
For us, the worth chain of the TGR Haas F1 Staff aligns with what we’re on the lookout for as a model: recognition, validation, and visibility in giant world markets the place we purpose to develop. As one of many fastest-growing premium water manufacturers in our class, partnering with an F1 workforce felt like a pure step.
“Partnering with an F1 workforce felt like a pure step.”
At TGR Haas F1 Staff, particularly, we sensed a real household ambiance. We felt very a lot at residence with the workforce, their tradition, and their course. The partnership felt real and reciprocal, and we’re very enthusiastic about what lies forward, particularly as we glance towards the 2026 season and past.
Why TGR Haas F1 Staff?
DH: Did you converse with different Method 1 groups earlier than selecting TGR Haas F1 Staff?
TO: Sure, in fact. We had discussions with a couple of groups, however with TGR Haas F1 Staff, we felt most at residence by way of their imaginative and prescient, their construction, and the place they’re heading.
We really believed that this partnership would work each methods, not simply commercially however strategically as nicely. That was a decisive issue for us.
Shared Underdog Mentality
DH: TGR Haas F1 Staff is at present present process a big transformation, together with an expanded collaboration with Toyota. Did becoming a member of a workforce on this part affect your method in comparison with partnering with an already dominant workforce?
TO: Completely, and that was one of many causes we noticed great worth on this partnership. The course TGR Haas F1 Staff is transferring in represents a significant alternative for us as nicely.
We’re competing in opposition to a few of the largest firms on the earth each single day. From a market perspective, we’re considerably of an underdog, however we’re competing very successfully. In some ways, that mirrors the TGR Haas F1 Staff’s mentality within the sport.
We noticed a really sturdy alignment in mindset and ambition between our firm and the workforce, which made this collaboration really feel cohesive and pure.
Unlocking World Markets
DH: Which markets does this partnership allow you to unlock, and the way does it help your long-term enterprise targets?
TO: As a Finnish model, our heritage is deeply rooted in Finland, however our core market base has traditionally been North America – primarily america and Canada.
Extra lately, now we have begun increasing into different key areas, together with Southeast Asia, the Center East, and Europe, which we see as main progress areas over the subsequent 12 to 24 months.
Being current at race weekends in these markets, activating with the workforce, and having world visibility by the championship instantly help our growth technique. We at present function in 13 nations and purpose to considerably develop our footprint throughout key world markets within the coming years.
Measuring ROI in Method 1
DH: From a CEO’s perspective, how do you consider ROI in motorsports? What are the important thing indicators you monitor?
TO: For us, a very powerful issue was the performance of the partnership. We’re not only a brand on a automotive – we’re the Official Hydration Associate of the workforce, and that has actual that means.
Our precedence was to make sure that Vellamo supplies tangible worth to the workforce by way of hydration, efficiency, and restoration. That practical position differentiates us from many conventional model partnerships in motorsports, significantly within the beverage house.
“We’re not only a brand on a automotive.”
We needed to spotlight that we’re offering pure, pure hydration in its most genuine type – water in its pure state, enriched with electrolytes from its supply. That practical positioning is a key measure of our success, alongside conventional industrial and model visibility metrics.
The Science Behind Premium Hydration
DH: For readers who might not be conversant in the science behind premium mineral water, what differentiates Vellamo from opponents?
TO: We even have two product traces: a spring water and a pure mineral water.
The mineral water is the place the actual practical distinction lies. It accommodates pure electrolytes, has a barely increased pH, and comes instantly from its pure supply with out synthetic processing.
In a sports activities atmosphere the place you see many vitality drinks and engineered drinks, we provide one thing basically completely different: pure, pure hydration in its most important type. Water is the essence of life – everybody wants it.
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What we offer is solely an enhanced model of that, because of the distinctive mineral composition of our supply, which helps hydration in a really pure and efficient method. On the identical time, this aligns with broader sustainability targets which can be additionally turning into more and more necessary on this sport.
Sustainability and 2026 Innovation
DH: You’ve talked about new packaging improvements deliberate for 2026. How does this align with the TGR Haas F1 Staff’s sustainability targets?
TO: It is a crucial space for us. We’ve got some thrilling new packaging supplies coming in 2026, although I can’t but disclose all the main points.
We’re working in shut collaboration with a significant world packaging supplies firm to introduce a very new, revolutionary packaging answer. This platform – TGR Haas F1 Staff – is extremely helpful for us on the subject of launching one thing really distinctive on a worldwide stage.
So, there might be way more to share on this entrance in 2026.
Wanting Forward
DH: Wanting past this season, may this partnership evolve into broader collaboration, for instance, in product growth or fan engagement?
TO: We already work very intently with the workforce and are eager to grasp their wants and collect steady suggestions.
“I actually imagine the sky is the restrict right here.”
I actually imagine the sky is the restrict right here. That’s the fantastic thing about this partnership: two manufacturers working collectively, studying from one another, and exploring potentialities in a cohesive method.
The door may be very a lot open in each instructions, and we’re excited to see the place this collaboration can go sooner or later.
