TOTAL: the fuel for endurance racing

Fuel's production process

A single production takes place in France in Givors (near to the city of Lyon) for the whole season, and six months of R&D was necessary for the development of the "Special-Endurance-Racing" fuel, in compliance with the FIA and ACO requirements. Many hundreds of cube meters were produced this winter to be available for the complete 2018 season. A part of this production was placed in barrels for the endurance events, and the remaining is for use at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Considering the specific setting of the Le Mans pit lane, fuel is kept "in bulk" there. For all the other race tracks, everything is delivered in barrels by two drivers in charge of logistics (delivery and collection of the empty barrels in the paddock).

As far as the ELMS is concerned, Total brings from 250 to 300 200-liter barrels to supply all the teams, i.e. more than 60 cube meters per race.

The differences between endurance-racing and gas-station fuel

In gas stations, we can find either SP95 E10 or SP98 fuel. In endurance racing, the SP105 E20 fuel is used. The octane rate is higher for racing and represents the fuel's capacity to endure compression in the combustion cycle, resulting in a gain in performance. In endurance racing the Ethanol rate is SP105 E20, so the unleaded fuel in use in the ELMS bears 20% of Ethanol of renewable origin, i.e. two times more than current fuel. The Ethanol used is second-generation from plant residues.

Logistics for the ELMS

Before each race, ELMS teams and entrants place an order with the promoter for the amount of fuel needed; a global order is then sent to Total. Once on location, the driver can deliver the number of barrels requested for the event to each team in the paddock.

Fuel verification and control

Early in the year the reference of the fuel at the time of its production is noted and kept for each event. Once on location for the race, a random sampling is done in one barrel in order to check the exact reference of the fuel brought for the race.

The Total crew works in collaboration with the marshals for fuel sampling whenever requested: during practice if necessary, after each session with classification, and in post-qualifying and post-race scrutineering.

The Total crew is present at each event to support the teams that have entered the race and the stewards as well.