Formula 1™’s Hamilton & NASCAR’s Stewart Trade Rides
Mobil 1 Lubricant Technology Brings Champion Drivers Together for Exhibition at Watkins Glen International
- Lewis Hamilton drove Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet
- Tony Stewart steered the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23
- Exhibition took place on the 3.4-mile, 11-turn long course at Watkins Glen in the Finger Lakes Region of New York in the United States
- More info, pictures, audio and video materials at http://www.pwrnewmedia.com/2011/mobil/car_swap/index.html
ExxonMobil Lubricants and Petroleum Specialties Company, a division of Exxon Mobil Corporation, showcased Mobil 1 on Tuesday when it brought Formula 1™ World Champion Driver Lewis Hamilton and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart together to swap race cars at the legendary Watkins Glen International in the Finger Lakes Region of New York in the United States. The company’s Mobil 1 team orchestrated the event to spotlight the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand, its lubricant technology shared with Hamilton and Stewart and its more than 30 years of support to motorsports champions and renowned race teams worldwide.
In front of a crowd of enthusiastic race fans and motorsports journalists from around the globe, Hamilton took laps in Stewart’s No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet Impala, while Stewart climbed into the cockpit of the team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23. The drivers each enjoyed a few laps around the long course at The Glen, experiencing the 3.4-mile, 11-turn lap circuit.
“Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Stewart Haas Racing both rely on Mobil 1 lubricant technology to gain a competitive edge every time they hit the track,” said Rebecca K. Aldred, Mobil 1 global brand manager, ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties. “Today’s friendly exhibition represented a tremendous opportunity for us to bring Lewis and Tony – two of our premier drivers – together to experience the demands of driving completely different types of race cars at a legendary track like Watkins Glen, and to remind racing fans of the Mobil 1 team’s commitment and involvement in motorsports worldwide.”
Hamilton and Stewart, known for their outstanding car control and sustained success across a number of racing disciplines before reaching Formula 1™ and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series respectively, have eagerly anticipated the chance to give up their seat to a fellow champion.
“I’d always wondered what it would be like to get behind the wheel of a NASCAR stock car, because it’s such a completely different experience from driving a Formula 1 car”, said Hamilton. “Thanks to Mobil 1, I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity today – not only did I get the chance to drive the car of Tony Stewart, a double NASCAR champion, but I also got to share that experience by giving him the chance to drive my Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 car too. NASCAR is a different world. Driving the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet was a massive change from what I’m used to, but Tony was an excellent teacher and I quickly found a good rhythm – those cars are raw and powerful! They’re fantastic fun to drive. It was a great day at Watkins Glen – this is a circuit with a great deal of Formula 1 history behind it: Emerson Fittipaldi won McLaren their first drivers’ and constructors’ titles here back in 1974 and it’s been fantastic to come here and take in some of that history.”
Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart said, “I’ve always been intrigued by the open wheel cars in Formula 1 racing. Feeling the power behind the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 was amazing and being able to take it for a ride around the course in front of a crowd of avid race fans at a track like The Glen made it even more special. An experience that I’ll never forget.”
This year marks the debut season in which Mobil 1 is the co-primary sponsor of Tony Stewart’s No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet Impala for Stewart-Haas Racing, and the ninth consecutive season in which Mobil 1 is the “Official Motor Oil of NASCAR.”
ExxonMobil began its relationship with McLaren in 1995, with its Mobil 1 synthetic lubricant brand, developing new lubricants and fuels designed to help improve the race team's performance, efficiency and reliability. During the course of the 17-year partnership, the focus on technical innovation has contributed to McLaren and ExxonMobil winning four Formula 1™ World Championships, along with 67 Grand Prix race victories and 205 podium finishes.
Hamilton, the 2008 Formula 1™ World Champion and driver for team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, has been winning races ever since he was big enough to reach the pedals. He won his first British Karting Championship at the age of 10, and famously introduced himself to McLaren Group Executive Chairman Ron Dennis at the annual Autosport Awards in the UK, saying, “I’m going to drive for you one day.” Easy words to say, but Hamilton proved his determination by crushing all opposition on his way to the European title, and with support from McLaren-Mercedes he moved up to car racing in the Formula Renault Winter Series in 2001. After dominating performances in British Formula Renault, the F3 Euro and GP2 Series, Lewis was truly ready to make good on his words from all those years ago, and at the Australian GP in 2007 he made his Formula 1™ debut for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.
Like Hamilton, Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet Impala, has a record of winning championships in several series – solidifying his reputation as one of the most skilled drivers of his generation. After posting championships in United States Auto Club and IZOD IndyCar Series, Stewart has been one of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ most successful drivers since joining the elite series in 1999. To date, Stewart has recorded two series championships (2002 and 2005) and 39 Cup wins and has a series-best streak of 12 consecutive seasons with at least one victory.
About Mobil 1 in Motorsports
Mobil 1’s history in motorsports officially began in 1978 with a sponsorship of Williams Formula One Racing Team. From that time, Mobil 1's presence on race tracks and circuits has grown by global proportions. Today, Mobil 1 synthetic oil is relied on for its ability to deliver exceptional engine performance and protection even under some of the most extreme conditions by automotive technicians, race car drivers, team owners and the world’s leading automotive manufacturers
Along with its status as the Official Motor Oil of NASCAR, Mobil 1 enjoys a long association with many of world's most popular and successful race teams, including the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1™ team, Corvette Racing’s American LeMans Series team, as well as the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup—the world’s fastest international one-make series.
About Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
New Zealand racing driver Bruce McLaren founded the McLaren team in 1963. It entered its first grand prix in 1966 and won its first Formula 1™ race in 1968. More than 40 years and 171 grand prix victories later, the team is still renowned as one of the sport’s most successful competitors and as one of the world’s most illustrious high-technology brands.
The McLaren Group has grown to encompass much more than just racing. Housing a cutting-edge electronics division that not only services the entire Formula 1 grid but also many racing series across the globe. McLaren Applied Technologies creates cutting-edge solutions for modern industry while McLaren Automotive not only produced the 1990s’ original supercar, the F1, and the unique Mercedes-Benz SLR but has recently unveiled the prototype of its newest vehicle – the MP4-12C. www.mclaren.com
About Stewart-Haas Racing
Stewart-Haas Racing is the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team co-owned by two-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation, the largest CNC machine tool builder in the western world. The team fields two entries in the elite Sprint Cup Series – the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala for Stewart, and the No. 39 U.S. Army/Tornados/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for 2008 Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman. Based in Kannapolis, N.C., Stewart-Haas Racing operates out of a 140,000-square-foot facility with more than 150 employees.
For more information, visit StewartHaasRacing.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/StewartHaasRacing and on Twitter at @StewartHaasRacng.
About Watkins Glen International®
Located in Upstate New York, Watkins Glen International’s rich history started over 60 years ago, when the first post- World War II road race ran on the village streets in 1948. “The Glen” became world renowned by hosting the United States Grand Prix from 1961-1980 and has been home to NASCAR Cup races since 1986. This season marks the 50th anniversary of The Glen’s inaugural F1 race in 1961.
For more information, visit TheGlen.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/watkinsgleninternational and on Twitter at @WGI.
Mobil and Mobil 1 are registered trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.
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