▁from ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁on wards . ▁ ▁Next ▁to ▁Ben et ton ▁and ▁Ren ault , ▁M ild ▁Seven ▁spons ored ▁both ▁T yr rell ▁Racing , ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁and ▁Min ardi ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁a ▁spons or ship ▁deal ▁with ▁Japanese ▁driver ▁U ky o ▁Kat ay ama . ▁ ▁Other ▁sports ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁to ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 0 s , ▁Japanese ▁to b acco ▁companies ▁were ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁advert ise ▁their ▁products ▁in ▁China ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁still ▁ling ering ▁t ensions ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁So ▁Japan ▁Tob acco ▁decided ▁to ▁hold ▁an ▁" E co - ch allenge " ▁style ▁advent ure ▁race ▁– ▁spons ored ▁by ▁M ild ▁Seven ▁c igare tt es . ▁Thus ▁was ▁born ▁the ▁" M ild ▁Seven ▁Out door ▁Qu est ". ▁Dan ▁Morris ▁was ▁the ▁official ▁photograph er ▁for ▁this ▁event ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 7 - 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁This ▁event ▁took ▁him ▁to ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁beautiful ▁sp ots ▁in ▁Western ▁China ▁including ▁D ali ▁City , ▁L iji ang ▁and ▁X iji ang ▁( home ▁of ▁the ▁Chinese ▁space ▁program ). ▁Top ▁athlet es ▁such ▁as ▁Team ▁E co - Internet , ▁Mike ▁P igg ▁and ▁Pa ula ▁New by - F ras er ▁would ▁regularly ▁comp ete ▁in ▁this ▁event