F1 FUEL TECH IN YOUR TANK

Racing is an excellent breeding ground for technological advancements, but it is not always clear if general motorists bene t from them. Shell’s partnership with Ferrari in F1 is well established and we asked Dr Andreas Schaefer, Shell’s global fuels scientist, where the advantage for the motorist lies. According to him, Shell V-power forecourt petrol contains at least 99% of the same types of compounds as the fuel used by Scuderia Ferrari. He is especially proud of the engine-friction-modi cation technology: “Friction causes energy to be lost as heat and, in the process, wasting energy that could have been better spent powering the car. To combat this, Shell’s friction-modi cation tech is designed to lubricate parts of the engine that are dif cult for lubricating oils to reach. This includes the vital area in the engine between the piston rings and the cylinder wall. In turn, this allows the piston to slide up and down more easily, and helps improve the performance and ef ciency of the engine.”