NTT DoCoMo Inc. has agreed to be a sponsor for the Renault Formula One auto racing team, looking to promote its i-mode Internet-accessible mobile phone service in the world market, company officials said Monday.
Japan's biggest mobile phone service provider is expected to announce the agreement formally at the end of January, they said.
F-1 auto races are held in various locations around the world every year, and are particularly popular in Europe. NTT DoCoMo has decided to participate as a sponsor to "improve the brand image of the i-mode overseas," a company executive said.
The agreement between NTT DoCoMo and the French racing team is unique because, unlike other Japanese companies that usually support F-1 teams under their own names or products, NTT DoCoMo will serve as a sponsor under the name of its i-mode service.
Outside Japan, the i-mode service is currently available in five European countries -- Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands -- and in Taiwan.