Hyundai Sponsors FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship

FUNCHAL, 19 March 2007 – Youthstream has made an agreement with Hyundai Heavy Industries Europe (HHIE), the European distributor of Hyundai construction and material handling equipment, to be the official sponsor for the next three seasons of the MX1 Motocross World Championship which kicks off with the first Grand Prix of the 2007 series at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands on 1st April 2007. MX1 is the top worldwide competition in off-road, comparable to Formula 1 in car racing.

Hyundai will be on hand with a strong visible and physical presence at each event. Machines will be in use both for building and repairing the tracks, and for visitors to see them at close hand.

The reason behind Hyundai’s participation in this sport is, said HHIE Managing Director J.W. Hwang, “To build on the strong synergy which exists between the challenge of high-performance motorcycles on the race track and hard-working construction site machines, standing up to the challenge of performing competently and reliably in a tough and highly competitive off-road working environment. This is something with which owners and operators of construction machines can readily identify.”

“Motocross is a competitive and entertaining sport, with a strong following in Europe and around the world, and the benefit for Hyundai is that it serves to endorse our belief in maintaining the highest standards of performance and reliability. In addition, Motocross is full of fun and excitement for everyone”, Marketing Manager, Michel de Weert, added.

“After a lot of hard work and investment done with a lot of passion” Giuseppe Luongo, Youthstream President, said, “We are very proud to have sensibly increased the figures of Motocross. Over half a million spectators visit our events, close to 600 million watch the Grand Prix on television with more than 700 hours of television coverage and naturally live-streaming on internet, and the world wide media allows people to follow the FIM Motocross World Championship easily... Thanks to these numbers, the professional work and the excitement of the Motocross racing now big brands like Hyundai Heavy Industries are interested to invest in our sport. One of our main concerns is to develop the Motocross circuits to be more spectacular and at the same time safer and for this reason by using the new high standard Hyundai machinery to work and to develop the track will help us and the organizer to continue to improve. We thank Hyundai Heavy Industries for believing in us and we will make the maximum effort to make a long road together. Shortly we will announce other world leading brands which will be joining us.