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8 Jul 2008
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Shell Helix opens doors on Formula 1 to help workshops win customer trust
SHELL Helix has revealed its behind-the-scenes role in helping Ferrari to joint-first place in the Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship this weekend.
During the Silverstone Grand Prix (won by Lewis Hamilton), the motor oils company opened the doors on its secret track-side laboratory where analysts help develop oils and fuels that offer improved performance.
The team uses results from testing during Formula 1 races to develop new products for conventional road cars.
Shell Helix says several technologies developed by its Formula 1 team have made their into the oils used by workshops and sold by Shell petrol stations.
By allowing Aftermarket into its track-side testing lab, Shell Helix hopes to highlight the power of brand awareness that it says garages can use to their advantage in winning new customers.
Earlier this year, the company carried out a programme of research, asking 739 motorists what made them trust independent garages and go back for repair work.
The survey revealed five things garages can do to increase customers’ trust in their ability. These were:
- Be transparent and clear with all billing
- Offer a prompt and efficient service
- Explain technical jargon
- Stock recognizable premium brands for customer reassurance
- Provide a dedicated reception point
The company hopes that by using well-known product brands, garages can earn the trust of customers and encourage them to return regularly in the future.
Technologies developed on the Formula 1 race circuit that have made their way into conventional products include the ‘friction modifiers’ now used in Shell Helix Ultra.
The modifiers are designed to help make a thick, protective oil that reduces friction losses inside the engine and frees-up power in the engine while retaining the necessary cleansing and protection properties. The company says this keeps engines in better health for longer.
Technicians in the track-side laboratory analyzed more than 40 fuel and oils samples during the Grand Prix that saw Kimi Raikkonen come fourth and maintain his team’s place at the top of the Constructor’s Championship.
The tests employ a RDE (rotating disc electrode) oil analyser which uses a technique called Optical Emission Spectrometer (OES) to analyse the metallic wear particles held in suspension in the oil.
The RDE and OES tests are designed to test for abnormal wear, without the need to inspect the engine itself. The picture shows Shell Helix technician Dan Jamieson conducting tests on oil and fuel samples during the Silverstone Grand Prix.
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