Over Seven Decades at the Top

How ExxonMobil Co-Creates the Future of Formula 1

For over 75 years, ExxonMobil has been co-writing the history of the pinnacle of motorsport. Currently, as a technical partner of the Oracle Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls teams, the company develops next-generation fuels and lubricants for the most advanced power units in F1 history. ExxonMobil’s oil and fuel analyses conducted on the track during each race weekend provide immediate support to the team and also speed up the development of technologies that transition from the track to the roads.

To find the first successes on the race tracks, one must go back to 1915 and Ralph De Palma’s victory in the legendary Indianapolis 500 race, during which his vehicle used Mobil products. In the following decades, ExxonMobil oils and fuels were also allied with the greatest names. Graham Hill, at the beginning of his F1 career, used Esso Extra Motor Oil and later triumphed five times in Monaco. Jack Brabham in 1966 became the world champion, driving his own-constructed car, whose engine used Esso fuel and oil. In the 80s and 90s, Mobil 1 collaborated with the Williams, McLaren, and Benetton teams, celebrating more championship titles and spectacular victories, including the 100th Grand Prix in 2009. ExxonMobil’s collaboration with Oracle Red Bull Racing is also full of successes, including multiple Formula 1 World Championship titles.

In the V10 era, Mobil introduced the SuperSyn anti-wear technology, developed for the extreme conditions of racing, which also became available in products for everyday drivers in 2002. This is an excellent example of transferring new technologies from the track to the road. In this way, millions of drivers can benefit from the collaboration between ExxonMobil engineers and the most titled F1 teams. 

Engine Protection at Speeds Up to 12,000 RPM

Today, Formula 1 is a mobile laboratory. The engine operates at speeds of up to 12,000 revolutions per minute, the oil must remain stable at extreme temperatures, and one F1 fuel tank could power an average household for a few weeks. This shows the strain the engine is under during a race.

ExxonMobil has two engineers in the Oracle Red Bull Racing team garage. During the race weekend, they analyze fuel and oil samples in real-time using advanced tools such as an FTIR spectrometer, gas chromatograph, and particle counter. Analyzing trace amounts of metals in oil allows for detecting microscopic signs of component wear before they become a threat to the power unit. 

Ready for the Technological Revolution

The 2026 season brought the biggest regulatory changes in racing history. For the first time, the power unit’s power proportions will be balanced. 50% of the energy will come from the combustion engine and 50% from the electrical system. The MGU-H system will disappear, the MGU-K power will almost triple, and cars will use fuel produced from biomass, waste, or even captured CO₂. Over the past three years, ExxonMobil has been working on fuel and lubricants compliant with the new specification. Over 75 specialists were involved in the project, and nearly 100 specialized tests and analyses were conducted during the development of the final formulations.

“The new regulations for the 2026 season are the biggest change in power units the sport has ever seen, and we gladly take on such complex challenges. We look at the F1 car the same way a nutritionist looks at an athlete. Each year may bring a new engine or new regulations, meaning working with a completely different machine with unique characteristics. Our goal is to find the best combination of fuel and lubricant that provides performance and protection within the established rules.” – explains Matti Alemayehu, Global Motorsport Technology Manager at ExxonMobil.

It is these changes that make Mobil’s role in developing next-generation fuels and oils more important than ever before.

Partnership of a New Era

Mobil 1 has been a technical partner of the Oracle Red Bull Racing team since 2017, providing specially developed lubricants for its power unit. The collaboration has entered a new phase with the Red Bull Powertrains project for the 2026 season.

“Our racing experience is among the best. We are proud to create products that are entirely tailored to our partners’ needs. Our advantage comes from proprietary technologies and expertise gained in various motorsport series. We apply the experiences gained on race tracks in the laboratory to constantly improve our fuels and lubricants. The collaboration with Red Bull Powertrains is an exciting new project that we are continually working on to achieve success,” adds Katy Howell, Marketing Services and Sponsorship Manager at ExxonMobil. 

Technology from the Track to the Road

Today, ExxonMobil operates in over 56 countries, employing around 61,000 scientists, engineers, and other professionals. The experience gained on the track – the most demanding proving ground for lubricants – translates into the development of products available to millions of drivers worldwide. 

ExxonMobil has not only made its mark in the history of the queen of motorsport. It accompanied many breakthrough technological achievements of humanity, from the Wright brothers’ first flight to the Apollo 11 mission. ExxonMobil’s history in F1 is over seven decades of contributing to the development of fuels and lubricants that set performance and efficiency standards both on and off the track. As this year’s season shows, Formula 1 continues to pose new challenges to ExxonMobil engineers and Mobil and Mobil 1 products.