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This weekend’s French Grand Prix
at Magny-Cours will see the WilliamsF1 Team race with an upgraded version of
Petrobras’ Formula One fuel, the 17-PodiumF1. The revised product has been
developed in association with the team’s engine partner, Cosworth, in order
to produce fuel that will compliment the new Series 6.01 engine
specification that will also make its debut in France.
 Designed
by engineers and chemists from the company’s Refineries and the R&D Centre (CENPES),
17-PodiumF1 is derived from Brazilian crude oils and is processed at
Petrobras’ refining units. Petrobras has spent a significant amount of time
testing its new product on Cosworth’s dynamometers in order to achieve a
fuel which maximises engine performance and track tests have also been
performed to enhance power output while reducing fuel consumption. Once the
best composition was identified, the new fuel was evaluated over long run
tests to assess its effect on the engine in terms of fuel economy, deposit
build-up, durability and lubrication.
For Frederico Kremer, Petrobras Manager of Commercial Solutions and Products
Development, the new fuel represents a step forward for the company by
improving Petrobras’ understanding of the fuel’s properties in relation to
its relationship to the engine, “Our engineers and technicians have invested
a significant amount of time studying and researching the design of this
premium fuel in conjunction with the development of the Cosworth engine,”
explains Kremer. "The result of this project has consolidated our knowledge
of the formulation of our commercial fuel, as well as some special fuels and
other products used in our motorsport programmes.”
The aim of the new product is to increase the power generated by the engine
in certain revolution ranges and, at the same time, to improve fuel economy.
Other than reducing lap times by precious tenths of seconds and increasing
fuel efficiency, the new fuel will additionally help to reduce pit stops
times and offer the team’s engineers greater flexibility in terms of race
strategy.
While developing the new fuel, Petrobras reinforced their on-going
commitment to environmental awareness. 17-PodiumF1 is unleaded and has a
very low sulphur content. The new fuel is also free of the highly toxic
compound, Benzene. 17-PodiumF1 also contains oxygenated products similar to
almost all commercial fuels which are used around the world today.
The partnership between Petrobras and the WilliamsF1 Team commenced in 1998
and is now regarded as one of the most enduring in motorsport. Aside from
being an important showcase for the Petrobras brand and technology abroad,
Formula One is the ideal laboratory for the development of new products and
advanced technology. One key example is Podium fuel which is the most
readily available fuel in Brazil and Argentina today, underlining Petrobras’
international strategy and ambition in new markets. |
