Shell and Formula One™

Shell celebrated 500 races in technical partnership with Scuderia Ferrari at the 2012 Singapore Grand Prix. This marks another milestone for one of the most successful collaborations in the history of world-class motorsport. Shell was there when Scuderia Ferrari famously raced the Ferrari 125 F1 in Monaco in the first World Championship Season in 1950, from this race and as each Formula One™ Season goes by, the partnership gets stronger and stronger.

Shell Programme

The Formula One™ project team continues to grow, with more than 50 Shell technical staff now contributing to the Shell Formula One™ programme with Ferrari. These important team members work together around the world in Shell laboratories and facilities, at all 20 race tracks on the Grand Prix calendar and right at the heart of the Scuderia Ferrari in the hallowed Maranello headquarters.

Much more than a sponsorship, this is a technical partnership during which Shell has helped Ferrari to triumph in the FIA Formula One Drivers' World Championship™ 12 times and secure 10 Constructors' titles. With such strong success on track comes success on the road, as Shell transfers the latest technology from Formula One™ straight to the consumer.

The boundaries broken within the extreme environment of motor racing contribute to the development and production of Shell fuel and lubricant products around the world. The association with Ferrari and Formula One™ has led Shell to develop its world-class Shell V-Power road fuel and Shell Helix Ultra motor oil through to other specialty lubricant products, such as Shell Spirax gear oil.

Shell at the Race

Shell provides Ferrari with a full analysis of fuel and oil samples at every race, using expert cutting-edge technology. Every time a Scuderia Ferrari car returns to the pits the Shell engineers are on hand to sample their products and take them to the Shell Track Lab, located within the Ferrari compound in the Formula One™ paddock.

There, the highly skilled Shell scientists conduct more than 40 tests per weekend on the Shell V-Power, Shell Helix and Shell Spirax race products used in the cars to ensure that the drivers will be able to get peak performance at all times.

Fuels

Formula One™ has some of the tightest regulations on fuel composition within the world of motorsport. The chemical and physical parameters are dictated by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) with the specific focus on ensuring the development of racing fuels are relevant for those used on the road.

All chemical ingredients are highly monitored, with specific power boosting chemical compounds banned from use. In line with FIA regulations imposed on all teams, the Shell V-Power fuel used by Scuderia Ferrari contains 5.75% by weight of bio-oxygenate.

Once developed, a fuel is rigorously tested by Shell and Ferrari and then submitted to the FIA for approval. The FIA can take a sample of fuel at any time during the race weekend. If a sample taken by the FIA doesn't match the pre-approved fuel profile, the team can ultimately be disqualified.

Using a gas chromatography method, Shell engineers regularly analyse the fuel, taking extreme care to ensure that it remains legal and in prime condition during the race weekend. Working within these boundaries, Shell chemists still have the flexibility to excel and develop fuel in the constant battle to increase performance.

Lubricants

There are fewer regulatory restrictions on engine lubricants than there are on fuels and this gives Shell chemists and engineers more freedom to explore new unique formulations to get the most out of the Ferrari Formula One™ engine. Test after test, race after race and season after season, Shell and Ferrari work together exclusively to craft the best performing fuels and lubricants in Formula One™.

Shell's lubricant analysis in the Track Lab is a valuable addition to Scuderia Ferrari's track-side activity, offering instantaneous information to help the team understand the condition of its engines.

The RDE (rotating disc electrode) oil analyser - which uses a technique called Optical Emission Spectrometer (OES) - is an extremely sophisticated instrument that detects an increased selection of wear metals in the oil and warns the team if there is excessive wear that needs to be addressed.

KERS

From the start of the 2009 season, the FIA will allow all the teams to use the kinetic energy recovery system (KERS). These devices harness energy from heat created by braking, store it and then use it to boost acceleration. Shell will be involved with this new technology, providing Scuderia Ferrari with a bespoke fluid that prevents electrical charge escaping from the battery and ensures safety.