Classic TV: Shell x Ferrari, 'Circuit'

Rich Fowler•26 November, 2024

Back in 2012, the marketing departments at Shell and Ferrari teamed up to create a stunning TV commercial that celebrated the 60-year technical partnership between the pair.

Dubbed 'Circuit', the two-minute masterpiece features a stunning display of Ferrari race cars roaring through the streets of Rome, New York, Rio, Hong Kong, and Monaco.

As a bonus for us Aussies, the Sea Cliff Bridge in New South Wales makes an appearance at the 43 second mark.

Oh, and it has one amazing soundtrack. Turn it up!

The incredible commercial tracks the evolution of Ferrari’s F1 cars from the very beginning

Things kick off in Rome with a Ferrari Tipo 500 that packed a 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder engine and was raced by Alberto Ascari and Juan Manuel Fangio in the 1952 and 1953 seasons.

The ad then tracks the evolution of Ferrari’s F1 cars, showing a 3.0-litre V12-powered 1967/68 312 – as driven by New Zealand’s own Chris Amon, with the driver’s helmet in the ad resembles Amon’s famous design – in New York.

This is followed by a 3.0-litre flat-12-powered 1971 312B that was raced by Clay Regazzoni, Jacy Ickx and Mario Andretti shown on the streets of Hong Kong.

Locations including Rome, New York, Hong Kong, and Monaco are among those used in the ad

A pair of 3.0-litre V10-powered cars come next in the form of a 1996/97 F310 as driven by Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine which features in Rio, and an F2003-GA as driven by Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello which blasts around the familiar streets of Monaco.

Finally, there's a 2.4-litre V8-powered F2007, as driven by Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, which pulls into the petrol station back in Rome to finish things off.

With no music and no voiceover until the very end, the entire two-minute runtime is a pure aural delight, with the transition from the V12-powered 312B to the V10-powered F310 in a tunnel being a particular spine-tingling highlight.

Rich Fowler

Writer

"If it moves and makes a noise, count me in. That pretty much sums up my lifelong passion for motoring and motorsport history. Rich has worked in various roles in the digital and motoring media world, starting his career at Autosport and also working at Auto Action, Motor, and as the founder and publisher of Motorsport Retro.

Most recently, Rich successfully launched Collecting Cars in the Australian market, growing the brand from 0 to $150 million in sales in just 3 years."

50-year mystery solved: Who hung an FJ Holden from an Adelaide footbridge?

The perpetrators of an infamous University of Adelaide Prosh Day prank which saw an FJ Holden suspended from a footbridge have finally been revealed.

Hot Lap: Ride On Board In A Lotus 26R

With a name like Horatio Fitz-Simon you'd expect him to be quick! Ride on board with this young up and coming historic racer in a Lotus 26R at the recent Velocity Festival in Sonoma.