Bahrain GP: Shell technical briefing

Shell Technical Briefing
Bahrain - Bahrain International Circuit

Bitumen

*All Formula One cars in Bahrain will be running on Shell - the track itself is made with Shell bitumen
*Having to stand up to such extreme heat in the desert, the bitumen needs to remain stable between temperatures of 20 and 50°C and still resist the enormous cornering forces of a Formula One car
*The track surface has already been tested and has passed for skid resistance and depression under pressure
*Hockenheim and the Ferrari test track at Fiorano also use Shell Bitumen technology

Fuel

*Ferrari and Shell will continue to use Shell V-Power F1ULG58 fuel in Bahrain
*This fuel has so far powered Ferrari to 33 of a possible 36 points
*With so many unknown factors in Bahrain, Shell and Ferrari have looked back to past race data to plan. Working with data from races such as Hungary, France and Malaysia, Shell V-Power F1ULG58 has been designed to work well in the predicted hot conditions
*Good housekeeping of the fuel will be essential in Bahrain as the fuel's composition can change in the heat if not treated properly. For the fuel to perform as designed, it must be carefully handled and kept in as stable a temperature as possible

Lubricant

*The Ferrari cars will continue using Shell Helix F1SL785 for the engine and Shell Spirax F1L5361 for the gearbox in Bahrain
*This race is a stern test for the new one-engine per weekend regulations as cars will be forced to run more laps than usual to learn the circuit and perfect the set up
*The engine will therefore run longer and harder than at any point in the year so far, relying heavily on its Shell lubricant for protection and cooling
*The ambient temperature is expected to be high in Bahrain, further testing the engine's stamina as cooling the oil, and therefore engine, will be difficult

-shell-