Shell on the brink of 100 wins with Ferrari

For Shell and for Ferrari, the race also has added significance. A victory for Michael Schumacher or Rubens Barrichello would mark the partnership’s 100th Formula One victory, a feat few technical partners have ever achieved.

Spa makes the drivers and cars work hard. Maximum speeds are well over 320 kph and minimum speeds are as low as 50 kph. Add to that the fact that over the 6.947 km of track, there are several 230 kph corners and the huge elevations of the circuit and you can begin to understand why Spa is so demanding. You can also understand why drivers adore racing there.

Another dimension to the Belgian race which often causes confusion, problems and above all excitement is the weather. Rain is a frequent visitor to Spa and teams can rarely be 100% certain of the weather, which often throws up unexpected results.

In 1994 Rubens Barrichello managed to qualify his Jordan in the dry right at the beginning of the session before the rain came down and as such, snatched pole. The following year, Michael Schumacher won the race having started from 16th position on the grid in similarly tricky conditions. In 1996, Michael Schumacher won the Belgian Grand Prix against all the odds in a Ferrari. Driving on slick tyres on a wet track, he held off two charging Williams to win his second ever race for Ferrari in real style.

For Shell, Spa is another challenge, completely different to the last race at the Hungaroring “Like Monza, Spa is a power circuit,” explains Shell’s Motorsport Business Manager, David Barnes. “The cars must climb and descend many times as they complete each lap, so predicting fuel consumption accurately is very important, because you don’t want any unnecessary weight in the car. It is also the longest circuit on the calendar, and there is less of a window for pit stops, so Shell have to make sure we have all our calculations done accurately to give Ferrari the most competitive edge possible.” Shell’s eyes will also be on the record book. One more win and Shell will have achieved something no other fuel and lubricant supplier has ever done - recorded 100 victories with the same team.