Currently Formula One is dominated by tobacco sponsorship with Ferrari, McLaren, Jordan, BAR, and Renault all running with the logos of tobacco companies. But with the impending ban of tobacco sponsorship in the European Union as of 2005 the teams will have to look for new sources of funding. This is even though Formula One is fighting such moves by moving Grand Prix into countries where such bans do not apply.

For WilliamsF1's head of marketing Jim Wright this deal was an indication of how the WilliamsF1 team is trying to avoid tobacco advertising.

Wright said: "I think from our side it is a landmark deal for the team and for motorsport. It will help motor racing kick the tobacco habit. The important message is that from our side in 2000 we were the first team, or the first Championship winning team, to denounce tobacco and made a decision to move away from tobacco.

"This deal reflects that and shows the way forward. It proves there is life for Formula One after tobacco. Initially it is for the season but providing GlaxoSmithKline are pleased it can be extended. Obviously the price is confidential but it is a sizeable investment and a good one for the sport."

In respect of WilliamsF1 previous tobacco sponsorship, WilliamsF1 has been sponsored by the Rothmans and Winfield brands in the past, Wright added: "Yes we used to be sponsored by tobacco companies but in terms of the sport now it is different as a whole to the commercial activities of our team. We've had no tobacco sponsorship for three seasons now and this deal strengthens our opinion that tobacco is not the future."

"Yes, we used to be sponsored by tobacco companies, but we also used to make cars out of aluminium. Frank, as one of the older statesmen, has always defended the right of teams to decide their own commercial futures. We've decided ours."