Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

Motorsport provides an array of conditions in which to test Mobil 1 lubricants. Grand Prix racing is the ultimate proving ground for Mobil 1 products because the lubricant has to work so hard on maximising performance. This is in contrast to Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM, German Touring Car Masters) in which the lubricant needs to focus on durability as the engine needs to run for a whole season rather then just two races. Such variety of testing conditions enables ExxonMobil to offer performance and protection for almost any driving condition, something which benefits all motorists through the supply of products which help reduce engine wear and improve fuel economy and performance.

ExxonMobil is looking forward to a 16^th season as Technology Partner to the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One Team, in a racing series where engine lubrication has become one of the unregulated tuning aids available to teams.

Mobil 1 lubricants are used exclusively in the Mercedes-Benz engine of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-26, driven by British phenomenon Lewis Hamilton.

Grand Prix racing teams were required to submit an engine design at the end of the 2006 season which they must adhere to until the end of the 2010 FIA F1™ World Championship. This FIA regulation has forced engineers to re-examine every aspect of their cars to find the tiny performance advantages that can make the difference between 1st and 2nd place on the track. Added regulations with tyres, high-performance biocomponent containing fuel and aerodynamics mean lubricants, as an unregulated engine component, may hold the key to unleashing that race-winning extra power.

Mobil 1 technology, currently used within the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-25, is tailored to ensure optimum engine performance for each race of the Championship's 17-rounds. Over the course of a season many different blends of Mobil 1 will be tested, each one designed to maximize engine power.

Following the FIA?s regulation change banning in-race refuelling, Mobil 1 engineers have introduced an innovative new lubricant and fuels package for use in the 2010 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-25 cars.

As the new regulations will mean the cars must carry roughly twice as much fuel as in previous seasons, Mobil 1 was tasked to place even greater focus on delivering fuel efficiency while maintaining the same level of protection that resulted in 100% engine reliability in 2009.

"It will be critical to our race strategy to optimise the starting weight and weight of the car during the race, whilst still delivering the durability that allows engines to run as hard but for much longer," says Martin Whitmarsh, Team Principal of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. "The ExxonMobil team has responded to this, providing new lubricants and fuels that allow the engine to produce more horsepower, which obviously gives a lap time benefit."