The complexity of rally car engine that has over 1,200 parts which powers the driver at high speeds for hundreds miles through extreme conditions. 

ExxonMobil is a sponsor and lubricant supplier of Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR), one of the top racing teams in the World Rally Championship. ExxonMobil Technology & Engineering researcher, Jason Gao said “By providing TGR with custom lubricants that drive top-level performance, we’re also able to test formulations that improve our commercial products,”

In accordance with society’s desire for more sustainable mobility, racing leagues are starting to shift to lower-carbon technologies. Prior to the start of last season, the World Rally Championship announced a mandatory switch to biofuels. Meanwhile TGR had limited time to recalibrate its engines and leaned on its relationship with ExxonMobil in order to enhance performance. 

In few weeks, our scientists had developed a new lubricant to be tested by Toyota, and it worked!  The new formulation matched the needs of the racing team, and maintained a high level of power and efficiency. That season, TGR was a triple title winner in the FIA World Rally Championship (Manufacturers’, Drivers’, and Co-Drivers’ Champions). Toyota Project Manager WRC Power Train, Norio Aoki said. “This work was done perfectly in short time. We knew that we could count on the experience and expertise that ExxonMobil had,”

This is testimony of the success to expertise and innovation in engineering, as well as the long history between Toyota and ExxonMobil. But it’s exceed just winning races – we’re also helping to shape the future of mobility. Lubricants are fundamental to helping the world move, and we’re using our race-winning formula to improve the products for everyday drivers. That’s our goal.