Costa Rican and Nicaraguan operations of Telefónica for US$1,650 Million, with plans to phase out the Movistar brand from those markets within a year after purchase. The transaction was completed in August the same year. Telefónica had purchased the Panamanian, Ecuadorian and Guatemalan operations of BellSouth in 2004 for US$1665 Million, followed by a rebranding to Movistar in 2005. The purchase was intended to help Telefónica focus on its largest markets, alleviating its debt. Sponsorship Cycling Since 2011, they are a sponsor of the Spanish UCI ProTour cycling team known as Movistar Team. Football In football, Teléfonica is an official sponsor for several national teams such as Spain (Movistar+) in Europe, and Brazil (vivo), Mexico, Colombia, Peru, or Venezuela in the Americas. Rugby O2 are the main sponsors of the England national rugby team. Motor sports Teléfonica, through Movistar, was the title sponsor of Yamaha Motor Racing from 2014 to 2018, a motorcycle racing team in MotoGP. It was also the title sponsor of Suzuki's factory team from 2000 to 2002 Sito Pons' Honda team from 1997 to 1999 and Fausto Gresini's Honda team from 2003 to 2005. Within Formula One, Telefónica sponsored the Minardi F1 Team in 1999 and 2000, including title sponsorship in 2000, as well a major sponsor of the Renault F1 Team from 2004 to 2006 until Fernando Alonso's departure to McLaren in 2007, and were title sponsors of the Spanish Grand Prix from 2006 to 2010. Through its acquisition of O2, Telefónica also indirectly sponsored the BMW Sauber F1 Team. In the World Rally Championship, Telefónica sponsored the SEAT Sport WRC Team between 1998 and 2000, under both Movistar and Telefónica Movistar. Telefónica sponsored the Ford WRC Team in seasons 2000-2002 when Spanish rally driver Carlos Sainz drove for the team, and when Sainz moved to the Citroën WRC Team for 2003, Telefónica followed. The sponsorship was not continued into 2004, despite Sainz staying with the team. In the 2000 CART season, PPI Motorsports raced the #96 Telefónica Toyota-Reynard, driven by Spanish rookie Oriol Servià. Oriol finished 15th in the standings with a best result of 3rd, and failed to win Rookie of the Year. Teammate da Matta in the #97 Pioneer Toyota-Reynard performed better with 10th and 1 win, however the team retired from open-wheel racing at the end of the season, and the sponsorship ended. Sailing Movistar- and Telefónica-sponsored teams contested the round-the-world