Malaysian GP - Shell preview - 16th March 19:42pm GMT

ENGINE LUBRICANT

* Sepang will be a true test for the new V8 engines of the Formula One World Championship. Extremely tough engine operating conditions are expected in Malaysia after the dusty Bahrain opener. Scuderia Ferrari will be counting on the support of Shell to conserve engine life with its proven lubricant package.

* Heat and humidity at this race are notorious. Engines will develop higher temperatures than normal, making cooling vital. This is where the lubricant Shell Helix SL-0932 will come into its own to protect the Ferrari V8 engine under these strenuous conditions.

* The fast-flowing nature of the circuit and quick straights ensure that the car’s radiators are well served with air, assisting engine cooling. The humidity, however, should not be as harsh as the arid, sandy desert conditions in Bahrain.

FUEL

* Shell will continue to provide Ferrari with the successful Shell V-Power ULG 59L/9. This formulation was used by Ferrari to power Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa to an all-red front row for last weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
* Although vastly different geographies, the first three Formula One races of 2006 have similar demands from a fuel perspective. Shell is providing Ferrari with the same blend of Shell V-Power for all three races. To simplify logistics for the team, it is efficient to send just one shipment of these products to the first three races.
* Under the new qualifying format, the fuel level chosen for the Top 10 Shootout is crucial to team strategy this year because the top 10 cars must start the race on the same level. Lisa Lilley, Shell Formula One Project Manager explains: ‘What’s the optimal level of fuel in the battle for pole position? That’s one question, but how does that level fit with our refueling strategy for the race? That can be another question entirely. Finding the right balance will be the challenge in addressing these two different but interlinked objectives. Shell is supporting Ferrari in the quest for the right fuel strategy in 2006.’

SHELL FACT

Shell’s V-Power Formula One fuel contains 99 per cent the same types of compounds as V-Power for the road, but the Shell Helix is a very specific blend of engine oil, designed especially to protect against the demanding rigours of Formula One.