Finnish Formula 1 driver and closet Angry Birds enthusiast Heikki Kovalainen is going public with his love for the Rovio game by agreeing a new sponsorship and co-branding deal with the gaming company. The highlight of this new agreement is that Heikki's helmet will be redesigned to make him look like a peeved red-feathered avian, something we'll get to see a lot more of starting at this weekend's Australian Grand Prix.
There's more to come, as well, since Heikki and Rovio are planning to sell related merchandise and also introduce a web game in the summer, which will feature "fun Angry Birds game levels with a racing theme in addition to other bespoke content."
As a racing driver, you pretty much have to accept that your work attire will reduce you to a highly paid walking billboard, so it's nice to see Heikki at least picking a sponsor that makes him look mean and streamlined. Of course, from his perspective, being able to support a company from his native Finland is also a big plus, so it looks like the whole thing's a three-star win for all parties involved.
1/6