Letter: Tobacco sponsorship

Sir: Peter Mandelson attempts to justify Formula One tobacco advertising (10 November).

F1 sponsorship is 90 per cent weighted towards tobacco because this is the only way these companies can get their names on the screen. If F1 is the big macho sport with the wide following it claims, other companies must be desperate to get their logos on the cars. On the other hand, they may not wish their image associated with an extremely expensive but legalised version of road rage.

JOHN ASHWELL

Eastleigh, Hampshire