Team Ineos will officially be renamed Team Ineos Grenadier for the 2020 Tour de France, with a new team kit surrounding the Grenadier branding, according to email communications from ASO staff.
Ineos, the petrochemical giant that owns Team Ineos, has recently ventured into the world of car production with the Ineos Grenadier. The company developed the car as a classic 4×4 in the mould of the Land Rover Defender.
Development around the car began in 2017, as a passion project for billionaire Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and is rumoured to be set for a 2021 release. It is currently set to be built in Wales and could be sold for a total of around £50,000, according to AutoExpress. Rumours suggest initial investment for the project was around £700m.
The Grenadier arguably represents the most public-facing element of the company to date, which otherwise generates the majority of revenue from chemicals and industrial products for which its marketing capability from the WorldTour team would offer less useful visibility.
The Ineos Grenadier is a flagship project for chemical giant Ineos
Last month Tuttobiciweb reported that Ineos had identified the Tour de France as the best way to market the company’s new car.
The news comes weeks after previous team leader Chris Froome confirmed his departure from the team at the end of the season to join Israel Start-Up Nation.
The UCI allows each team to make a single change of name and kit each season. The ASO email also confirms that a new team kit design has been finalised, in which Grenadier’s branding will take centre-stage on the jersey.
Team Ineos have confirmed the change of name in an announcement on their website.