Classic TV: Shell x Ferrari, 'Circuit'

    Rich Fowler26 November, 2024

    shell ferrari ad the circuit

    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!

    shell ferrari ad the circuit

    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.

    shell ferrari ad the circuit

    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."

    More inEntertainment

    Jean Charles Rédélé with the Alpine A106

    Alpine celebrates its 70-year history with new video series

    Almost 70 years ago in July 1955, Renault dealer and rally driver Jean Rédélé created Alpine. Originally a standalone brand, the mission was simple: to create a French sports car brand based on Renault powertrains.

    Honda City with the band Madness

    Classic TV: Honda City (feat. Madness)

    Advertising from the 1980s doesn't get much quirkier than when Honda teamed up with English ska band Madness to promote its latest hatchback of the day, the City

    Mitsubishi Magna AWD

    Classic TV: Mitsubishi Magna AWD

    In 2002, Mitsubishi made history by releasing the first all-wheel drive series production car built in Australia, the Magna AWD. Soon after, it also changed history with the same car's advertising campaign.

    More inEuropean

    1939 Skoda Superb 3000 OHV

    Celebrating 90 years of the Škoda Superb

    The Škoda Superb may only be a relatively recent addition to the Australian automotive landscape, having first launched here in 2010, but 2025 marks 90 years since its debut in its homeland, then-Czechoslovakia.

    1988 BMW 735i E32

    BMW vs. Japan: The late ’80s showdown that reshaped the luxury car market

    The 1980s saw a number of Japanese carmakers foray into the luxury sedan market, particularly in America where Honda launched Acura and Nissan launched Infiniti, but it was when Toyota launched Lexus in 1989 that it gave the likes of BMW a real run for their money, rewriting the luxury car rulebook in the process.

    Renault 5 Turbo 3E

    The legendary Renault 5 Turbo returns as an electric ‘mini-supercar’

    Renault is billing its new, electric R5 Turbo as “a beast of a car built for rallying, drift and track performance, adapted for the road”.

    Get The Latest

    Sign up for the latest in retro rides, from stories of restoration to community happenings.

    By clicking Sign Up you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.