Mercedes F1 end controversial sponsorship with Grenfell insulation firm after backlash

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Mercedes have ended their partnership with Kingspan after outrage over the company’s links to the Grenfell Tower fire.

Survivors’ group Grenfell United highlighted the insulation firm’s links to the 2017 disaster which took 72 lives.

While Kingspan rejected having any prior knowledge of their product being used for the tower’s cladding system.

The deal, which was announced last week, which saw the company’s logo on Mercedes’ cars at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Michael Gove, the secretary of state for housing and communities, publicly called on Mercedes to end the agreement. A statement from the team said: “The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and Kingspan today announced that they have mutually agreed to end their partnership with immediate effect.

"Announced last week, the new partnership included Kingspan chairing a new Sustainability Working Group for the team, and aimed to deliver carbon reductions through their leading-edge environmentally sustainable solutions for the team's future campus.

“However, both parties have subsequently concluded that it is not appropriate for the partnership to move forward at the current point in time, notwithstanding its intended positive impact, and we have therefore agreed that it will be discontinued with immediate effect."

Kingspan’s K15 insulation was one of the products installed on Grenfell Tower during its refurbishment, although the majority of the insulation used on the west London tower block was made by another company.

An inquiry is examining how Grenfell Tower came to be coated in flammable materials which contributed to the spread of flames.

Mr Gove had said he was “deeply disappointed” at the news of the partnership, noting in a statement on Twitter: “Deeply disappointed that Mercedes F1 are accepting sponsorship from cladding firm Kingspan while the Grenfell Inquiry is ongoing.

“I will be writing to Mercedes to ask them to reconsider. The Grenfell community deserves better.”