Ducati and Shell have launched a new oil derived from their partnership in racing, which began 23 years ago.
The new oil, called Ducati Corse Performance Oil powered by Shell Advance (Performance Oil), is specifically designed to work with Ducati’s motorcycles equipped with the Demosedici Stradale engine and its derivatives, such as the Desmosedici Stradale R 2023 used in the 2023 Ducati Panigale V4 R.
The lubricant is intended for Ducati’s top-end supersports bikes: the Panigale V4 and its many variants, such as the Panigale V4 S, Superleggerra, and V4 R.
The new oil can be used any time from the first oil change on Desmosedici Stradale motors, providing an increase in performance thereafter.
This is thanks to a 10% reduction in friction when using the new Performance Oil compared to the standard Shell Advance 15W-50 oil that comes standard with Ducati’s supersports bikes. This is thanks to a specific additive formula aimed at modifying friction and viscosity. Ducati says that the viscosity modifier is “a special polymer” which is “frequently deployed in racing applications.”
The result of the use of this modifier is a lubricant which creates “an ultra-thin film on the mechanical surfaces,” Ducati says, which reduces “the effect of imperfections and therefore friction.” From that, an increase in maximum power of between 3.5hp and 4.5hp is achieved on the 2023 Ducati Panigale V4 R - not that the 240hp motorcycle is lacking in this department.
One downside is that the oil can only be used on engines with dry clutches. Also, it can only be used on closed circuits and requires changing every 1,000 km (620 miles) or every 12 months.
Distribution of the oil has already begun in the UK, meaning you can pick it up from your local Ducati dealer now. At time of writing (28 June 2023), Ducati has not published pricing information on the new oil.
Additional countries in which the new lubricant has begun distribution are:
- Italy
- France
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Germany
- Spain
- Portugal
The Ducati Corse Performance Oil by Shell Advance will also become available in the US, Canada, and Australia, although Ducati has not given a timeline on availability in those regions at time of writing.
