Motorsport stars, fans mingle at Shell Magical Fridays

After the enthralling second round of the Shell Autocross championship, motorsport fans on Friday got the opportunity to meet several of the speed merchants up close in a fan-filled event dubbed Shell Magical Fridays.

The unmistakable rumble of high-performance engines echoed through the station. The star-studded event at Shell Spring Valley turned into a motorsport exhibition, with the crews showcasing their powerful Turbo machines.

Among the big names present included Jose Sardinha, Suleiman Munyua, Fahim Malik, Neel Gohil, John Kadivane, Amaan Ganatra, Shabaaz Anwar and Joseph Gacheche.

Motorsport stars engaged customers, explaining the technical aspects of their respective vehicles and how Shell's fuels and lubricants contribute to their performance.

Upcoming rally drivers

“We have been using Shell V-Power during all our sporting events as an alternative to Avgas. The results have been imperious,” said Gohil, who won the Open class category during last weekend’s event.

Malik termed the Magical Fridays is a unique opportunity to help customers fuel up, discuss driving techniques, and share the crews' experiences in motorsports to inspire upcoming rally drivers.

“Today, we get to bridge the gap between what happens on the track and everyday driving. Many customers don't realize that the same Shell V-Power fuel they're putting in their road cars is essentially what powers our rally vehicles,” said Fahim.

Ruth Wangombe, Vivo Energy Kenya Fuels Brand Manager, said the Shell Magical Fridays is a perfect opportunity for motorsport stars to interact with their fans.

“Shell Magical Fridays represent excitement. There's something special about seeing customers get their vehicles fueled by their favorite drivers- it creates a genuine connection between our products and the performance these rally stars demonstrate during the motorsport events,” Ms Wangombe said.

Motorsport personalities

“At Shell stations, Shell V-Power is not just a performance fuel, but the only fuel trusted, used and recommended by Scuderia Ferrari in Formula One. It's also the only fuel recommended by BMW Motorsports. Its global success is a testament to its quality, and local drivers prefer it for its unmatched performance,” she said.

Vivo Energy Kenya has confirmed that Shell Magical Fridays, in collaboration with rally drivers, will rotate through selected Shell stations across the country. The schedule will be coordinated to align with the rounds of the Shell Autocross Championship.

The initiative will feature different motorsport personalities throughout the season, creating exclusive and unique experiences for Shell customers across Kenya.

“Today, we've seen exactly what we envisioned – genuine connections between our motorsport stars, our partners Shell and the fans. This is the perfect blend of driving the love for the sport,” said Sushil Gohil +254 Motorsports Club Chairman.