1+1=300

Mobil 1 and McLaren have forged a mutually beneficial technology partnership that has lasted for 300 races

Our partnership with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is the longest-running continuous relationship between an oil company and a Formula 1™ team in the sport’s history. Since 1995, we have helped the team to excel in the extreme conditions of the world’s most progressive motorsport.

The partnership is based upon the provision of high-performance Mobil 1 lubricants, race-formulation fuel and technical support to the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, including full-time trackside engineering support at every race.

Our relationship with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is a high-return investment for both partners. The technology partnership helps to drive the global growth of our brand and to leverage what we learn on track in order to enhance our synthetic oil formulations and deliver outstanding performance and protection gains for all motorists.

Over the course of a Formula 1™ season, many different blends of Mobil 1 are tested, each designed to maximize engine power in the cars. And in each of the last 18 seasons with McLaren, we have made considerable advances in the fuel, oil and lubricants that we supply, always looking for ways to be more efficient and gain more from our technology partnership.

"Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and ExxonMobil are at the cutting edge of automotive technology, says McLaren Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh. “Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil and lubricant technology helps us meet the challenges of the race week after week, enabling us to maximize our performance each and every time."

The benefits to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes are clear: a more fuel-efficient engine requires less fuel to complete a Grand Prix. Less fuel means less weight, and a lighter car is a faster car. A reduction of ten kilos in the amount of fuel a car carries at the beginning of a race, for example, can result in a gain of 0.3-0.4 seconds per lap – a vital advantage in a sport in which tiny margins can make a big difference.

Engine and gearbox oils are also critical to remaining competitive in races, as they help to improve the cars’ pace by reducing friction. Giant strides have been made in this area over recent seasons, to the point where the hugely powerful 2.4-litre V8 engines used in Formula 1™ are no longer significantly less powerful at the end of their multi-race cycles than they were at the start. With such reductions in friction and wear, the drivers have more power at their disposal for longer.

On-track lubricant analysis (of the oils from the engine, the gearbox and hydraulic system) provides an early warning forensic analysis system between track sessions, allowing the team to identify and respond to any performance issues as they occur.

Formula 1™ is a fast-moving business in which the need for instant results is matched only by the need for innovation. The technology partnership between Mobil 1 and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes facilitates both.

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