Ducati took advantage of the Malaysian Grand Prix, of which Shell is the title sponsor, to announce the renewal of its partnership with the Dutch oil company.
Here is our translation of the press release.
Shell and Ducati celebrate their 21st anniversary and renew their technical partnership
Borgo Panigale, Italy, October 31, 2019
Shell and Ducati today announced an extension of their technical partnership. This iconic partnership has lasted for over 20 years, having started in 1999 during the Superbike World Championship before expanding into MotoGP when Ducati joined the category in 2003.
The technical partnership between the two world-renowned brands has not only enjoyed great success on the racetrack, but also off the track with Ducati also choosing Shell Advance oil and Shell V-Power fuel for each Ducati motorcycle leaving its factory in Bologna, Italy.
From the start of the partnership, Ducati Corse's famous Desmosedici GP racing motorcycles have used Shell Advance engine oil. For the past four years, a bespoke blend of Shell Advance and Shell's proprietary PurePlus technology has powered the Ducati. Designed for fast action on MotoGP circuits, where tenths of a second separate the front runners on the track, Shell Advance is carefully formulated to help maximize the performance of the Desmosedici GP's four-stroke engine. It is also crucial to engine reliability during the season's 19 races, with lessons learned from the track having been incorporated into the development of Shell Advance oils and Shell V-Power fuels used by motorcyclists around the world.
Since the relationship began in 1999, Ducatis have celebrated more than 200 race victories and seven MotoGP and Superbike World Championship titles, all powered by Shell's race-specific formulations. This strengthens this partnership which appears to be one of the most formidable and lasting in the history of the most prestigious motorcycle races.
Vicky Boiten-Lee, General Manager – Lubricants Marketing at Shell, said: “Shell is delighted to renew this historic relationship for another three years. The renewal of this technical partnership with Ducati will be invaluable to the innovation and continued development of Shell Advance and Shell V-Power, using our knowledge gained on the racetrack and providing it to riders around the world through our highly efficient and effective products. This agreement represents a clear commitment from Shell to Ducati, MotoGP and World Superbike. We are proud to contribute to Ducati's continued success, and we look forward to celebrating many more victories alongside them. »
“Shell Advance was born from the realization that the road can be an unpredictable place. The vital learnings gained by Shell and Ducati on the track are applied to the road, providing riders' engines with the comprehensive protection required to enable them to outperform any challenge thrown at them. »
“The historic partnership between Shell and Ducati has been important in propelling Ducati to new heights over the past 20 years. Shell's Shell Advance and Shell V-Power racing formulas have been essential in maximizing the performance and efficiency of our Ducati engine. Technical partnership is also key to delivering high-quality products to our customers on the road, with Shell Advance and Shell V-Power enabling riders around the world to benefit from reliable and extensively tested oil and fuel formulas. We are pleased to see this partnership expand to continue one of the strongest relationships in motorcycle racing history as well as strong collaboration in the development of our road motorcycles. » said Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding.
About Shell Lubricants
The term “Shell Lubricants” collectively refers to the companies of the Shell group active in the lubricants sector. Shell sells a wide variety of lubricants to meet the needs of its customers in a wide range of applications. These include consumer automotive, heavy transportation, mining, power generation and general engineering. Shell's lubricant portfolio includes Pennzoil, Quaker State, Shell Helix, Shell Advance, Shell Rotella, Shell Tellus and Shell Rimula. We are active throughout the lubricant supply chain. We manufacture base oils in seven plants, blend them with additives to make lubricants in more than 40 plants, and distribute, market and sell lubricants in more than 100 countries.
We also provide technical and commercial support to our customers. In addition to our product range, we also offer lubricant-related services. These include: Shell LubeMatch, the market-leading online product recommendation tool, Shell LubeAdvisor, which helps customers choose the right lubricant through highly trained Shell technical staff and online tools , and Shell LubeAnalyst, an early warning system that allows customers to monitor the condition of their equipment and lubricant, helping to save on maintenance and avoid potential loss of business due to equipment failure.
Shell's world-class technology strives to deliver value to our customers. Innovation, product application and technical collaboration are at the heart of Shell lubricants. We have lubricant research centers in China, Germany, Japan, India and the United States. We invest significantly in technology and work closely with our customers to develop innovative lubricants. We have a portfolio with over 150 patent categories for lubricants, base oils and greases; More than 200 lubricant scientists and engineers are dedicated to lubricant research and development.
Customer benefits include reduced maintenance costs, longer equipment life and reduced energy consumption. One of the ways we push the boundaries of lubricant technology is by working closely with top motor racing teams such as Scuderia Ferrari and BMW Motorsport. These technical partnerships allow us to expand our knowledge of lubrication science and transfer cutting-edge technology from the track to our commercial products.
