Mobil Delvac 1 to Host Driver Efficiency Challenge for McLaren-Hondas Truck Fleet
13/05/2015
As the Formula 1™ season heads to Europe, ExxonMobil and McLaren-Honda have teamed up to host a driver-efficiency challenge to reward safe and fuel-efficient driving. The contest will see the team’s 17 truck drivers going toe-to-toe as they compete for maximum points, spanning seven races. The Mobil Delvac 1™-sponsored challenge launched this past week with the Spanish Grand Prix (8 May 2015) and will run until the Italian Grand Prix (4 September 2015).
The contest, which is entering its third year and includes races in Spain, Monaco, Austria, the UK, Hungary, Belgium and Italy, will be invigorated with the addition of an additional criterion: braking as a percentage of the journey distance. It is also a special year for the challenge as ExxonMobil’s heavy-duty diesel engine oil brand, Mobil Delvac, is celebrating its 90th anniversary.
The skills and efficiency challenge is open to all commercial vehicle drivers that support the McLaren-Honda team during the 2015 season, carrying the team’s race cars, kit, equipment and hospitality. Efficiency is a key focus of the team, which maintains the trucks’ engines and drivetrains with Mobil-branded synthetic lubricants. ExxonMobil’s Mobil Delvac 1 LE 5W-30 and Mobilube 1 SHC™ 75W-90 lubricants play a decisive role in the efficiency challenge, with UK-based tests having proven the flagship commercial vehicle lubricants to offer up to 2.9 percent fuel efficiency[1].
Following the Grand Prix scoring system (e.g. 25 points for first place), the challenge includes the awarding of points after each race weekend, with each driver monitored individually against the following criteria:
1) Pedal movement – levels of throttle pressure
2) Engine operation – measurement of optimum engine usage (not highest gear)
3) Idle consumption – degree of idle consumption
4) Coasting – level of vehicle coasting
5) Deceleration grade – braking as a percentage of the journey distance.
The prizes will include shopping vouchers and an engraved trophy to be awarded to the winner at a special dinner on 8 Dec. 2015. There will also be runner-up prizes to recognize outstanding effort.
As part of the overall drive to improve the efficiency of the McLaren-Honda truck fleet, Mobil Delvac 1 LE 5W-30 heavy-duty diesel engine oil and Mobilube 1 SHC 75W-90 gear and rear axle oil, are being used in McLaren-Honda’s truck fleet. Mobil Delvac 1 LE 5W-30 is an advanced heavy-duty diesel engine oil that can meet the technical requirements of current and latest engines meeting Euro VI emission limits, and deliver valuable benefits, including enhanced fuel economy potential[2]. Mobilube 1 SHC 75W-90 is a fully-synthetic, supreme performance commercial gear lubricant, suitable for total driveline application.
Eric Boullier, Racing Director for McLaren-Honda, said: “Formula 1 is a contest that hinges not just on raw power and speed, but also efficiency. We compete to cover the distance in the shortest possible time and the most aerodynamic car with the most efficient engine has the best chance of getting there first. Efficiency is part of McLaren’s DNA and ExxonMobil has consistently innovated to help us do more with less.”
Maciej Marcinowski, Commercial Vehicle Lubricants Marketing Advisor - Europe, Africa and Middle East, ExxonMobil, said: “The Mobil Delvac 1 Driver Efficiency Challenge continues to evolve and has become more and more competitive each year. We are looking forward to seeing how the fleet drivers perform this season.”
For more information on Mobil Delvac synthetic lubricants, visit www.mobildelvac.com
