Motul was full throttle at Silverstone Classic this weekend, with the start of its new multi-year partnership with the event, new product launches and more 

Not even the lashing tail of Storm Evert, and the torrential rain that came along with it, could dampen the enthusiasm of attendees and participants at this year’s Silverstone Classic, which took place over the last weekend of July (30 July – 1 August).

Apart from the thousands of fans looking to lap up Formula One, GT, vintage, sports and touring cars from yesteryear that represent 100 years of history, many famous product names were present, including, notably, Motul. The company was on hand to celebrate the beginning of its multi-year partnership with what is the biggest retro racing event in the world.

Official
That’s not all though. With more than 120 classic car clubs also taking part, and of course large contingent of enthusiasts from within the garage industry itself among the crowd, Silverstone Classic offered a fantastic opportunity to unveil new products, launch new partnerships and generally get up close and personal with the people who are most interested in what the company has to offer.

In a nice bit of synergy, 2021 is also the 50th anniversary of Motul 300V, the world’s first fully synthetic engine oil, and one that is seen as the standard for competition and classic car engines. This meant that the company has been able to commemorate the golden anniversary as The Classic’s Official Lubricant. In and around the Motul enclave on the Copse Runway, the company had a number of historic and significant vehicles from the brand’s past, present and future. These included the Motul-sponsored 1973 BRM P160 F1 car and the first re-appearance of one of the Motul M1 Formula Two team cars. Looking ahead, there was also room for the development hybrid Toyota BTCC car that will be seen from 2022 onwards.

It was not just about history though. For those taking part in the racing, Motul’s mobile laboratory, which takes the form of a classic bus, was made available free of charge. The mobile lab undertook lubricant analysis and provided help and advice on lubricant-related matters. Motul also offered a free top-up service for lubricants, coolants and other fluids.

New products and initiatives
A number of new products were launched during the weekend, while other Motul products already in the marketplace were highlighted. On the new products side, Motul’s dedicated Classic range has been expanded with the addition of two Youngtimer engine oils designed with cars from the 1980s and 1990s in mind. CLASSIC EIGHTIES 10W-40 and CLASSIC NINETIES 10W-30 are semi-synthetic multi-grade engine oils designed for vehicles from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Both feature a high-Zinc (ZDDP) content for protection and Molybdenum for performance.

The Classic also saw the launch of Motul’s new BioClean parts cleaning system, intended for workshops. Motul’s UK Business Development Manager Andy Wait commented: “The BioClean unit can take up to 200 kilos, so you can put a engine in there. The fluid is solvent-free, so you can put your hands in it, you can use it without gloves, you can use it without losing the greases and fats from your hands. It will clean any material you put in it, including stainless steel, without affecting it. What it does is clean the material and take the grease back down into the tank, then the bio-enzyme within the unit itself will start to break down the grease and the fats, which then regenerates the fluid. Essentially once you have filled the machine up, you can just keep topping it up, regenerating itself.”

While at The Classic, Motul also looked to promote its 17-product Car Care range which was launched during the Spring, and the whole range was on display and available to purchase across the weekend.

Car premiere
With cars the key constant of The Classic, Motul also looked to unveil some new race cars, as was alluded to earlier. The prototype Motul-Edition GBS Zero, a hand-built British sports car that features a wide range of Motul-specific features was unveiled on the first day. The look of the car was decided through the design competition that took place earlier this year. The livery was made up of a combination of the ideas of the main winner, Martin Lines from Bedfordshire, along with ideas proposed by under-16 age category prize winner Kaira Milburn age 10, from Maidstone in Kent.

The project was completed via a partnership between Great British Sports Cars (GBS), Witham Motorsport and Motul. The ultra-lightweight Motul-Edition GBS Zero sports car is powered by a specially prepared and uprated 2.5 litre Ford Duratec engine. Neil Brown Engineering, the company that provides the motive power for the UK FIA Formula 4 championship - a series where Motul is the lubricant partner - is the company responsible. Looking ahead the GBS Zero Motul Edition will be seen with customers and Motul’s drivers and race teams.

Commenting on the launch of the car, Andy Wait said. “We were delighted earlier this year to announce our partnership with Silverstone for The Classic, so we wanted to make our first appearance there memorable and, therefore, to have the climax of the Motul GBS Zero initiative at Silverstone seems apt. Also, of course, the car shape has a retro look and feel to it, so it fits in with the spirit of The Classic, as well as, offering us a great chance to showcase so much of what Motul can offer to the public.”

Motul UK Distributors Witham Motorsport Managing Director Nigel Bottom observed: ”We have been supplying Motul products to Great British Sportscars for some time and, having had the chance to meet Richard Hall and tour the factory, I was hugely impressed by the depth of their engineering skill, by their innovative ideas and by the fact that there was potentially a great story to be told, on the ‘start-to-finish and beyond’ role that Motul plays in the construction of this GBS Zero. The idea of a Motul-Edition seemed like a logical extension of this and so we embarked on what is a truly novel venture for a lubricant brand.”

Great profile
Commenting on Motul’s experience at The Classic as Official Lubricant Partner, Motul Area Manager for UK and Ireland Callum Goodland added: “It has been great to have all of our ambassadors join us, and we have had lots of potential customers come on the stand from the classic and heritage car clubs. We think we have really raised the profile of Motul into the classic car clubs that are here.”

Referring specifically to Motul’s launches over the weekend, Callum concluded: “With all of the products that we have launched, including the BioClean, we have been talking to a lot of workshops that are interested."