SINGAPORE – Not all fuels are the same -- as a top-tier product can be elevated in the global map as the fuel provider to a car racing champion at the Formula One (F1) World Championship, the highest class of single-seat auto racing competition organized by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

That has been the success narrative of Shell Innovation Partnership with Scuderia Ferrari, which had etched a new chapter in history when their race driver Carlos Sainz clinched P1 or the highly coveted winning spot in the recently concluded F1 Singapore Grand Prix.

“Shell works to support Scuderia Ferrari deliver success on the track through effective and successful product development,” the global energy firm said.

Beyond that, Shell emphasized that it is supporting the Ferrari team in “identifying, developing, and implementing solutions to help them continue to reduce their carbon footprint and achieve their sustainability ambition of reaching a net-zero carbon footprint by 2030, in line with Formula One’s goal.”

The company qualified that at its Shell’s Technology Center in Hamburg, Germany as well as on the trackside, Shell has been investing more than 21,000-man hours annually with 50 technical staff to “blend, produce and test Shell V-Power race fuel and Shell Helix Ultra race lubricant formulations.”

And in keeping with the FIA Formula One championship regulations that was enforced since last year, Shell has been showcasing further innovation in “the development of advanced low-carbon fuels by supplying Scuderia Ferrari with a revolutionary Shell V-Power El0 race fuel that contains 10% second-generation ethanol, almost doubling the renewable content of the 2021 race fuel.”

In F1, which is the apex of car racing globally, every millisecond counts and it was noted that success is not only measured by the driver’s skills; but also on the aerodynamics of the car as well as the sophisticated blend of the fuel that will be powering these beasts in the race track.

According to Shell, the fuel used in car racing has a unique blend and it is typically tailored to comply with the FIA regulations and shall also meet the specific needs of the engines of the cars to be used by these racing titans.

On the sphere of advancing clean energy fuels for car racing, Shell stressed that it is committed “to delivering 100% renewable fuel to Scuderia Ferrari by 2026,” adding that it has been sourcing second-generation bioethanol from Brazil, via its long-standing partnership with Raizen.

The company further conveyed that it has been supplying Ferrari with “a formulation of low viscosity engine oil, Shell Helix Ultra,” emphasizing that “the race lubricant has been co-designed with the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One team and is vital to the cleaning, protecting, lubricating and cooling of the engine, while delivering improved performance and efficiency.”

Shell expounded that as 2023 FIA regulations limit Formula One drivers to three (3) power units per season before penalty, “Shell Helix Ultra race lubricant has an important role in the team's performance, ensuring each Scuderia Ferrari power unit is protected for longer.”

In every race, the energy firm has been deploying a minimum of two scientists to support the Ferrari race team via Shell trackside laboratory that is set up in the race venues.

Shell similarly indicated that away from the track, it has been employing “advanced digital technology to deliver over 1.0 million simulations to prepare for the 10% bioethanol race fuel,” as first introduced in the 2022 F1World Championship.

It highlighted that “Shell is now in the next phase of advanced sustainable fuel development to understand the fuel components that provide performance and efficiency to Scuderia Ferrari’s power unit while coming from a fully sustainable source.”