Continuing in its tradition of working with Ferrari to develop the finest fuels and oils for the road, Shell is eagerly awaiting the start of the 2003 season. The F2003 GA has taken to the track and is now powered by a brand new fuel from Shell and protected with a brand new Shell oil producing even more power, protection and reliability than last year.

“We have been working on these new products for nearly ten months now, and cannot wait to see the results on the track,” said Mike Copson of Shell Global Solutions. “Judging by our simulation experiments in the UK and dyno tests at Maranello, we expect the fuel to give the engine more performance than last year’s variation.”

“Although we have limited space in which to develop the fuels owing to the very tight nature of the FIA regulations, our team at Shell Global Solutions is constantly working with Ferrari to investigate possibilities of improving and developing the fuels. I think it would be fair to say that the fuel the F2003 GA will use is 95% identical to the fuel you can buy in Shell stations all around the world – but it’s amazing what we can do within that extra 5%!”

“We will be creating fuels to compliment Michael (Schumacher) and Rubens’ (Barrichello) race strategies. So whilst we are looking at providing a fuel that will give the F2003 GA its huge power output, we always look to increase the fuel’s efficiency too. If Shell can provide Ferrari with a fuel that will give the car better fuel economy to aid any pit stop strategy, then we are suddenly looking at a massive performance advantage over the competition.”

Shell has also taken the opportunity to step up the development of its lubricant programme. “We have developed an engine oil specifically for use in Ferrari’s 052 engine” explains Copson. “As you can imagine, an oil for an engine as powerful as this has to be perfect - we are talking about an engine that is around eight times more powerful than a typical road car after all! However, everything we learn with the team here in Formula One is transferred back to the work we do designing fuels and oils for the road. If we can design an oil to protect the technology and extreme operating conditions of Ferrari’s F1 engine, imagine what we can do for road cars.”

2002 saw Shell and Ferrari’s most successful year, not just in terms of wins the team managed, but also the amazing reliability record the team has managed to maintain. “The job our oil specialists do with Ferrari’s engine department is one of the biggest success stories in the history of the sport,” says Copson. “The figures speak for themselves. In 1993, only 9% of Ferrari’s drivers ended the race on the podium. Now that Shell and Ferrari are working together to power and protect these awesome engines, that figure has risen to nearly 80%. (see accompanying graphics). That’s unheard of in Formula One, and testimony to the great job that Shell and Ferrari are doing.”