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It is all very well having a great
engine and chassis combined with the best driver's and mechanics but without fuel the car
would go nowhere fast! This is where Shell come into play in the grand scheme of Ferrari's
plan to dominate F1 racing.
Because one of the crucial factors in ensuring a good performance from the Ferrari racing
car is the right "blend", or the optimal combination of petrol ingredients. Here
Ferrari and its drivers Schumacher and Barrichello are totally reliant on Shell, their
fuel supplier and technology partner. Even when a new engine is still in the development
stages, Shell's scientists are working in close co-operation with Ferrari's engineers.
With Shell fuels, power is considerable increased, and fuel consumption is highly
economical. Shell's high performance mixtures comprise up to 25 different basic
ingredients. Important factors are low weight, highest possible output, and a combustion,
which is adapted to the racing track involved.
Circuits in which the F1 car repeatedly accelerates from a low speed require different
fuels from high-speed tracks. The fuels developed at the Shell laboratories undergo a
rigorous test procedure. After computer simulations and lab tests, the fuel is taken to
Ferrari's engine test bed in Maranello, Italy.
Mixtures that pass that test then have to demonstrate what they are really made of on
Ferrari's own test track in Fiorano. The mixture is not used in a Grand Prix until the FIA
has given its official approval. Special equipment for fuel analysis is installed in the
Ferrari pit for extra safety. Ian Galliard, Shell technical project manager, checks on
location that the fuel has not changed during transport and ensures that it still complies
with the FIA regulations.
Despite this extraordinary level of technology in Formula One, human beings still play a
decisive role as they always have. Feedback from drivers is of great importance. Because
his driving is so sensitive, Michael Schumacher is in a particularly good position to
judge improvements brought about by a new fuel, what experts call
"driveability".
These are results, which in the end benefit the customer at every Shell service station.
The petrol you buy at the service station is mixed using the same ingredients and
meticulously adjusted to your own personal 'track' - that of everyday life. |
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