The Lotus team has announced the signing of a three-year partnership with Microsoft, which will take effect from the A✤ustralian Grand Prix this weekend.

The deal will see Microsoft Dynamics branding appear on the cars of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean during the year ahead, while Mic🌱rosoft personnel will work 'directly with Lotus F1 Team to continuously transform and optimise operations towards a world class facility' at its Enstone base.

"Lotus F1 Team is extremely proud to have attracted Microsoft Dynamics as a business and sponsorship partner," he said. "We are entering an exciting phase in the development of our business model as we move from our recent change management period to a 'global business transf🥀ormation' process.

"Micro🔯soft Dynamics will be a crucial enabler for our objectives. This ass🅠ociation will help Lotus F1 Team to become comprehensively process and KPI driven, enabling our "smart" approach towards Formula 1."

Microsoft is expected to a♑nno⛦unce more about the plans at the Microsoft Convergence event in Houston, Texas later this month.

"In a business where every thousandth of a second matters, Microsoft is revved up about working with the Lotus F1 tea💎m to help drive efficiencies into their operations and make those seconds count," Hal Howard, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Dynamics ERP Research and Development, said. "The Lotus F1 Team is a forward-looking and agile business, and Microsoft is thrilled to provide them with the technology that will help them transform into a Dynamic Business and win."