BILSTEIN and RAVENOL announce technical cooperation
Essen 30 January 2025. BILSTEIN, the shock absorber and suspension specialist, is entering into a multi-year technical cooperation within the motorsport sector with the German oil producer RAVENOL. The close collaboration between the engineering teams of the two companies will enable customised development solutions for the high demands of motorsport teams and their drivers in the future. The common goal: redefining the boundaries of performance.
The development of state-of-the-art high-performance shock absorbers takes place, among other things, on the BILSTEIN 7-post test rig, one of the most modern vertical test rigs in Europe, at the BILSTEIN Competence Center in Meuspath, which is located directly at the Nürburgring. Depending on the requirements profile and customer requests, the suspensions are individually pre-developed and perfectly adjusted to the respective requirement and race track. This makes the development of new shock absorber systems significantly more efficient: the test drivers, who at BILSTEIN still have the final say in the design, receive a product that only needs minor tweaks to achieve the optimum result.
The damping oil used is an essential component of the shock absorber technology. When used in motorsport, the shock absorbers are exposed to such stresses that they become extremely hot – especially when driving on the north loop of the Nürburgring. Despite the high temperatures, the oil must not become too thin or foam, because then even the gas pressure would be powerless and the best set-up characteristics would only be half as good. On the other hand, the viscosity must ensure that a good response is ensured even under cold conditions. This makes it clear why BILSTEIN places such a high value on qualified oil suppliers as development partners within the motorsport sector.
RAVENOL is a renowned brand and a reliable supplier to the automotive industry worldwide. It is one of the most high-performance lubricant brands for premium products and contributes its expertise to the development of corresponding high-performance lubricants and oils These are specially designed and optimised for the extreme conditions of motorsport. In the course of the development cooperation, RAVENOL bears the title “Official Lubricants Partner” of BILSTEIN.
Redefining the boundaries of performance
“This cooperation is an important step for us”, says Martin Flick, head of motorsport at thyssenkrupp Bilstein. “We are excited about the opportunity to work with RAVENOL on a technical level in racing and to equip our damper systems with high-performance oils. Together, we can develop products that not only enhance performance but also increase driver safety. We want to redefine the boundaries of performance. Combining our damping technology with the high-quality lubricants from RAVENOL offers us the best conditions for this.”
Dimitri Barichnowski, communications manager & brand partnerships RAVENOL, confirms: “It is a logical step to work together on high-performance products in the background of the motorsport stage – not only we as a manufacturer benefit from this, but above all the customer teams who rely on our expertise.”
BILSTEIN revolutionised damping technology as early as 1954 with the first gas pressure shock absorbers ready for serial production and has been delivering top quality and high performance in motorsport ever since. With numerous podium places and championship titles in races and rallies in various series worldwide, it is impossible to imagine motorsport without BILSTEIN. The roots of BILSTEIN motorsport lie in rallying, when the first OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer) successfully used the dampers, before the technologies were gradually adapted to circuit racing.
www.bilstein.com
www.facebook.com/bilstein.de
www.instagram.com/bilstein
www.youtube.com/bilsteinde
Photos: copyright BILSTEIN 2025. Reproduction free of charge if source is named.
Caption: BILSTEIN, the shock absorber and suspension specialist, is entering into a multi-year technical cooperation within the motorsport sector with the German oil producer RAVENOL.
From left to right: Alexander Nietiedt, RAVENOL, Produktkonzeption; Dr. Markus Karsch, RAVENOL, Technical Manager, Motorsport and Product Development; Martin Flick, thyssenkrupp Bilstein, Leiter Motorsport; Dimitri Barichnowski, RAVENOL, Communications manager & brand partnerships
