There are things you don't experience often. A ride in a Formula 1 vehicle around the Silverstone race track, for example. Unless you're a Formula 1 racing driver like Jenson Button. However, thanks to cooperation with fuel technology partner ESSO, every fan can now complete a “virtual” lap around the Silverstone circuit.
#FuelYourSenses - 360 ° circuit experience
Racing with McLaren-Honda, Jenson Button, ESSO and the Google cardboard virtually over the Silverstone race track.
Probably the second most important when it comes to emotions and speed on the racetrack? Exactly - the engine. Without power, no best times. McLaren has been working with engine partner HONDA in Formula 1 since this year. Accordingly, McLaren-Honda had brought a Honda Civic to the track in addition to the McLaren Formula 1 and a McLaren road racing vehicle for the virtual lap around the race track.
With the 360 ° video now presented, you can be there live at this exclusive experience.
At the premiere of the 360 ° video clip, we spoke to Jonathan Neale, the CEO of McLaren-Honda, in London.
mab: You have been working with Mobil 20 (ESSO) for more than 1 years, and since this year you have a new engine partner in Formula 1, HONDA. How do you explain to an engine manufacturer which engine oil you want to work with?
Jonathan Neale: HONDA is the largest engine manufacturer in the world. They know exactly which lubricants they need. They are familiar with “Fuels & Lubs”. They were looking forward to working with Exxon-Mobil. And Exxon-Mobil immediately sought contact with the engine manufacturer and addressed the topic of “development”. And in the end both sides learn a lot from each other.
mab: How can you compare the engine oils and fuels of a Formula 1 vehicle with those of a normal car? How much does Formula 1 engine oil cost more than the oil that “normal” drivers use to lubricate their engine?
Jonathan Neale: Formula 1 engines drive with a higher octane number as far as the fuel is concerned, but as far as the oils are concerned, the engine oil from Mobil 1, for our Formula 1 racing cars, is hardly changed compared to what the customer can buy. The fully synthetic motor oils from Mobil 1 are enriched with a large number of additives for motor care.
Of course, Exxon-Mobil's technicians are working on the perfect engine oil for Formula 1. You have to imagine it like a mixing console. A little more of this, less of that and with this high technology in the lubricant sector you can ideally meet the needs of the Formula 1 engine. In the end, the “chemistry” of the oils is similar, regardless of whether they are in a Formula 1 engine or a production vehicle.
Of course, Mobil 1 uses this experience from Formula 1 to constantly improve its own product.
This also applies to fuels. We don't want to waste performance. Therefore, fuels are needed that enable maximum performance. However, ESSO fuels at the normal gas station also have to perform something similar, because what the maximum performance for fast lap times is to Formula 1, efficiency is to the driver in everyday life. In the end, “low consumption in everyday life is a requirement very similar to maximum performance in Formula 1.
mab: Thank you for the brief insight!
From the racetrack to the living room - from the racetrack to the street
The Race Week in London was the ideal place to present the #fuelyoursenses project. The Briton himself was already looking forward to the Formula 1 race at Silverstone and we were able to watch the virtual experience right at the premiere.
In the end, the knowledge remains: During the 360 ° video project by McLaren-Honda and ESSO, the emotions of Formula 1 from the race track to the living room (or wherever you look at the clip) transported, the involvement in Formula 1 seems to guarantee exactly the right progress for the driver.
As the CEO of McLaren-Honda, Jonathan Neale, made clear in the interview, the intensive collaboration between the premier class of motorsport and a “Fuels & Lubs” manufacturer like ESSO guarantees the efficiency of the driver in everyday life.
Virtually one lap - only 3 curves live
Just a shame Jenson Button at the British Grand Prix today only came up to the third corner. But that's how it is in motorsport. You are never protected against racing bad luck - but good, maybe he'll grab the Esso-Google cardboard glasses now and take a look at a whole round - virtually.
The interview was conducted by mein-auto-blog in English, so the translation here may not always be the same word! We left Fuels & Lubs as “original”, it just sounds so much better than “fuel and lubricants”.