Bernie Ecclestone: 'Heineken upset over sponsor deal leak'

Bernie Ecclestone has all but confirmed reports that Dutch beer brewer Heineken is entering Formula 1 with a major sponsorship deal.

De Telegraaf, a Dutch newspaper, claimed last week that the first signs of the five-year, €200m (£157m) deal will be trackside advertising in Canada next month.

"Heineken will probably also enter into a partnership with one of the teams as part of the sponsorship agreement with FOM," the report said.

F1 supremo Ecclestone told The Guardian this week: "Apparently it leaked on a website in Holland. Heineken told me they were very, very sorry and that they were pissed off."

Heineken, however, have not yet confirmed the deal, a spokesman saying only that "as a leading premium brand, we are constantly evaluating potential sponsorship and partnership opportunities".

"This includes F1 as well as many other sports properties," he added.

"We will not speculate on what we might do in the future as this is commercially sensitive."

The 2016 season continues next weekend with the Monaco Grand Prix.