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PETRONAS: RACING TO IMPROVE THE BREED PETRONAS is growing its Australian market share by offering world-class products that have successfully powered world champions, the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team PETRONAS Lubricants has been gradually expanding its network of distributors in Australia over the past few years. In 2008, PETRONAS acquired the Italian fluids and lubricants company Selenia, which was established in 1910 as part of FIAT’s lubricant division with the aim of manufacturing “first fill” lubricants for all FIAT vehicles. Currently ranked among the top 10 leading global lubricants companies, PETRONAS Lubricants International offers different ranges of lubricants for passenger cars, commercial and heavy vehicles, transmission and hydraulic systems, agriculture and earthmoving machinery, motor bikes and industrial and manufacturing equipment under different brands such as Syntium, Urania, Tutela, Ambra, Akcela, and Sprinta. The PETRONAS brand is synonymous with Mercedes-AMG in F1. Together, they have dominated the modern Formula One era by winning a historic seventh consecutive World Constructors’ Championship at the end of the 2020 season. The successes achieved over the years underscore the dynamic collaboration between PETRONAS and The Silver Arrows and demonstrates the relentless determination and talent of its workforce while giving testimony to the prowess of the company’s fluid technology solutions. “PETRONAS is like the best partner you could ask for. We have been together 10 years and it is so much more than all the other marketing
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Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine February 2021
partnerships that you see with the other teams because it is a true collaboration,” Toto Wolff, the Team Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, said. “PETRONAS has been a fantastic contributor of our success; we feel that we are the PETRONAS team. “The contribution is absolutely visible in our performances. PETRONAS oils and lubricants has helped to propel us to the front of the grid, and we cannot say thank you enough.” Toto believes that working closely to improve both the team’s performances and the PETRONAS products is the key to the success of the partnership. “We work very closely with them because in this age the performance gains need to go in both directions. “We are looking for performance gains in our race
cars and in our road cars. PETRONAS fuels our top of the range AMG cars and we are always learning from the feedback of what is the fastest laboratory in the world – Formula One. “We always pass those learnings back to PETRONAS and I believe the steps we have made together have allowed PETRONAS to produce a better product compared to their competitors in the market. “The learnings and the speed of delivery in Formula One is just above everything…in Formula One you need to bring your A-game and that performance will translate into any other product that PETRONAS supplies to the world market.” Toto is convinced it is a true ‘win win’ partnership with direct benefits to both parties. “PETRONAS are experts in motor racing. They have been a part of Formula One for more than 25
