The Shell Technical Partnership with Ferrari

For over 60 years Ferrari has been synonymous with high performance cars, both on the race track and on the road. When the very first Ferrari drove out of the factory gates in Maranello, Italy, it was powered and protected by Shell.

This was directly due to the confidence Enzo Ferrari had gained in Shell and its products. Shell’s relationship with Enzo Ferrari dates back to the 1930s and extended through the next two decades, supporting his motor racing activities.

Shell was on board when Ferrari established the legendary company Ferrari S.p.A in 1947. The technical partners have continued to excel in many famous motor racing events, from the tight turns of the Monaco Grand Prix to the endurance and darkness of the Le Mans 24 hour race. Shell’s experience and knowledge gives Ferrari a crucial edge on the track.

However the collaboration is about more than track success – it’s about transferring that race technology to the road. The extreme conditions of Formula One present a unique opportunity for Shell to develop and supply its products in a cutting edge and fast moving environment. The learnings made together with Ferrari on the track transfer directly to the products available to customers, such as Shell V-Power fuel and Shell Helix lubricants.

For the last decade, Shell’s technical partnership with Ferrari has produced phenomenal results on the race track, but what is less well-known is that the technical partnership with Ferrari’s road car department is just as strong. Every Ferrari that leaves the production line, from the 612 Scaglietti to the newly launched 430 Scuderia, is fuelled by Shell V-Power and lubricated by Shell Helix.

In June 2007, Shell was recognised with a special award for technical excellence and innovation by Ferrari. The Ferrari Innovation Award is one of just four accolades presented by Ferrari each year amongst more than 600 partners and suppliers. The award recognised Shell’s particularly high standards of excellence, technology innovations and product development offered to the technical partnership.

Looking forward - there is usually little point in looking back in Formula One – Ferrari will have more support from Shell. During the 2005 San Marino Grand Prix weekend, Shell signed an agreement which takes the long-standing technical partnership through to at least 2010 – and you can be sure that every kilometre on the track will benefit Shell’s road products.