Shell plc has reportedly extended its partnership with Hyundai Motorsport for three years.
This move will retain the oil and gas giant as the technical partner and title sponsor of the FIA WRC (World Rally Championship) outfit.
The two companies established this mutually beneficial relationship ahead of Hyundai’s debut season at WRC in 2014.
Since then, Shell has backed the WRC outfit across many technical upgrades which resulted in some of the competition’s most advanced cars.
Substantial changes in 2017 and the introduction of hybrid technology this year have reinforced the cooperation, delivered tactile competitive gains, and the product development of Shell.
Shell and Hyundai Motorsport won two consecutive manufacturer’s titles in 2019 and 2020 in addition to its latest victory in Rally Italia Sardegna.
With the help of Shell Helix Ultra lubricants, Hyundai Motorsport did not face any engine reliability or wear issues across nine seasons. These lubricants have been developed for uncompromised, ultimate engine performance.
The technical collaboration has generated a further 1.5 horsepower, delivering an advantage of 6 seconds at each rally where marginal gains create a huge difference.
Ade Ajala, Shell’s Vice President of Global Key Accounts for New Business Development and Strategic Alliances has expressed that an extension of this partnership and title sponsorship deal enables the company to showcase its tech leadership through product development in motorsport.
Ajala added that the extension allows the sharing of knowledge that will eventually benefit Hyundai customers across the globe in minimizing their carbon footprint.
Hyundai Motorsport team driver Dani Sordo has been associated with the team since its debut season. He has firsthand experience when it comes to the evolutions of cars throughout the years and credits all the podium wins to this long-standing relationship between the WRC outfit and the oil and gas giant.
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