Mobil 1's role at the Desert Storm

One doesn’t realize the importance of good lubricants until heading way off the beaten track.

The coverage of the Maruti-Suzuki Desert Storm that you are seeing in the magazine was made possible through Mobil 1 sponsoring the writer’s trip for the duration of the event. But the synthetic oil and lubricant giant’s role in the cross-country rally was more than just to arrange media coverage. As one of the main sponsors of the event and the supplier to the participants who ran the event under the Maruti-Suzuki banner, the functioning of the event and the health of many car engines depended on them.

Lubricating oils and greases are engineered and manufactured to function over a wide range of temperatures and loading conditions. Mobil 1 has been at the forefront in this regard in global motorsport with its long-time supply to the second most successful Formula 1 team in history; McLaren. Recently the company has switched its allegiance to the formerly dominant Red Bull Racing team. Much has been made of the role of engine oil and lubricants in F1 due to that aspect being one of the few areas in the technical regulations that are not tightly restricted at the moment.

In automotive engines, the surface temperature of critical components can easily reach 200 degrees Celsius, while temperatures in some contact zones can even lead to ‘flashes’ where the temperatures reach 1,000 degrees. Extreme pressures and temperatures like these can lead to the wearing away of the surfaces that come in contact with each other as well as act as a catalyst to chemical reactions that damage surfaces and the lubricant too.

It is in situations like these where lubricants and engine oils create a fim that coats these surfaces to avoid harmful wear and chemical reaction that increases the functioning range of an engine. Even though the Thar Desert in Rajasthan in late January and February is not as harsh as other times of the year, the heat and the punishment subjected to the engines – thanks to heavy right feet on the accelerator – are enough to warrant the protection required for a vehicle to make it safely to the service park.