News and media releases

Dramatic race to Formula One success

29/01/2008

Scuderia Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen concluded an exciting 2007 Formula One season when he secured his first-ever Drivers’ World Championship title.

Räikkönen won the final race of the season, the Brazilian Grand Prix, to secure the championship with 110 points. In the most dramatic of championship fights, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton both finished just one point behind him. With six victories, Räikkönen won more races than anyone else in 2007 and also claimed a further six podium places.

Felipe Massa, Räikkönen’s teammate, ended an impressive season in fourth place with 94 points and three victories.

Ferrari also won the 2007 Formula One Constructors’ World Championship title. This takes the total number of titles collected by Ferrari, with support from Shell, to 12 drivers’ and nine constructors’ championships. The result was a fitting achievement for a year that marked over 60 years of shared passion for performance between the two companies.

Following the victory, Räikkönen expressed his thanks to Shell, saying, “The team is very close. Shell has been doing a great job for us, improving the fuel – everything to help us with all the new regulations.”

Lisa Lilley, Formula One Technology Manager for Ferrari, Shell Global Solutions (UK), added that Shell maintained a comprehensive R&D programme throughout the season to provide Ferrari with the latest developments in fuel and lubricant technologies. “The highly advanced Shell V-Power‡ race fuel is designed to enhance driving power while protecting critical parts of the engine,” she says. “We also made a series of power-enhancing improvements to Shell Helix‡ engine oil, and modified Shell Spirax‡ lubricant for the gearbox.

‡Shell Helix, Shell Spirax and Shell V-Power are Shell trademarks.