The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of motorsport’s toughest challenges.
For an entire day and night, cars run at extraordinary speeds, subjected to intense heat, pressure and mechanical stress. Every component must perform flawlessly. A small issue can become a major problem over 24 hours.
That is why some of the most important work at Le Mans takes place away from the spotlight. At this year’s race, away from the track was the Shell Trackside Laboratory, a dedicated lab where Shell scientists analyse lubricant samples throughout the event, helping engineers understand how power units were performing under some of the most demanding conditions in motorsport.
For Goesta Moeller, Project Leader Automotive at Shell Global Solutions, this behind-the-scenes work is central to modern endurance racing.
“Engine oil is one of the hardest-working fluids in a car,” he says.
It does far more than simply lubricate moving parts. It reduces friction, helps cool the engine, protects components from wear and keeps the engine clean. In endurance racing, where engines operate under sustained high loads for long periods, those functions become even more important.
“Without engine oil, the engine would wear out within minutes, maybe even seconds,” Moeller explains. “But in motorsport, every single component in the car needs to be optimised to achieve peak performance.”
The margins involved are incredibly small.
“In some areas, the lubrication film inside the engine is thinner than the width of a human hair,” says Moeller. “It is the only thing protecting two surfaces from wearing each other out.”
That microscopic layer must perform several tasks at once, reducing friction, controlling temperatures and protecting components while remaining stable under extreme conditions. It is also why lubricant analysis has become such an important part of endurance racing.
At Le Mans, Shell’s Trackside Laboratory allowed scientists to examine lubricant samples within minutes. By analysing factors such as viscosity, fuel dilution, contamination and wear metals, engineers could gain valuable insights into engine condition throughout the race weekend.
Tiny changes in an oil sample can reveal a surprising amount. Traces of wear metals may indicate the earliest signs of component fatigue, while changes in viscosity can show how a lubricant is coping under prolonged stress.
The aim is not simply to react to problems, but to understand what is happening inside an engine before issues become visible. For Shell, Le Mans is more than a race. It is a valuable environment for testing and developing lubricant technology under real-world conditions.
Every lap generates data. Every analysis adds to a growing understanding of how lubricants perform under pressure. Those insights help Shell continue developing technologies designed for balancing friction reduction, wear protection, cooling performance and durability.
It is a process that has long linked motorsport and innovation.
While fans focus on drivers, strategy and overtaking battles, a quieter story unfolds behind the scenes, driven by science, chemistry and engineering.
For 24 relentless hours at Le Mans, engine oil works continuously, protecting components and helping engines perform at their limits.
Most spectators will never see that work taking place. But without it, one of motorsport’s greatest spectacles simply could not happen.
