Mobil 1 and Walkinshaw Andretti United are celebrating 30 years in partnership at this weekend’s Sydney Motorsport Park Supercars event.
The Ford Mustangs of Chaz Mostert and Nick Percat will both don special bonnets to mark the milestone, at the scene of the first win for WAU with Mobil 1, back in the inaugural year of the partnership in 1994.
A few things have changed since then, when the squad was Walkinshaw Racing and competed as the factory Holden Racing Team, at a circuit known at the time as ‘Eastern Creek International Raceway’.
Together, WAU and Mobil 1 have won six Bathurst 1000s, six drivers’ championships, five teams’ championships, and a total of 188 races, plus a further 274 podiums and 74 pole positions.
Mobil 1 is also the lifeblood of the Walkinshaw Racing engine shop in Clayton, and played an integral role in the squad’s 2002 Bathurst 1000 win.
Then, with plastic bags choking the #1 Holden Commodore, engine temperature rose beyond 115 degrees, but Mark Skaife was able to make it to the chequered flag and share victory with Jim Richards.
That car, HRT 045, would come to be known as the ‘Golden Child’ given it won the Bathurst 1000 in both 2001 and 2002, with Skaife also clinching the drivers’ championship in both of those campaigns.
Mobil 1 branding was also splashed across the bonnet when Mostert and Lee Holdsworth scored WAU’s most recent Great Race triumph, in 2021 in a driver pairing which has been restored for this year’s enduros.
WAU Director Ryan Walkinshaw said, “Mobil 1 has been right by our side for three decades, it’s an iconic partnership in global sport, and through it all, their support has never wavered.
“We’ve had championship wins, Bathurst wins, and race wins, playing an essential role in every single one of them. They are not just a sponsor, but a key technical partner we rely heavily upon to achieve what we do.
“Recently, Mobil 1 has moved into a new era here in Australia with Ampol, but the same passion, that same expertise, and the same world leaders underpin what makes Mobil 1 the world’s leading synthetic oil.
“To be able to celebrate this milestone is a testament to not only their loyalty and support over the journey, but their incredible products they provide around the world. We are honoured to be in partnership with them, and hope it continues long into the future.”
Brad Phillips, Ampol’s General Manager of Business to Business, also hailed the milestone.
“Ampol is thrilled to be a part of this historic moment,” remarked Phillips.
“The long-term partnership between the two icons is a testament of WAU’s trust, loyalty, and commitment to Mobil 1.
“We hope this partnership continues to achieve more milestones together and offer exciting moments for Australian motorsport.”
Practice for this weekend’s Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight starts on Saturday afternoon at 12:15 local time/AEST, while support categories are on-track tomorrow.
PHOTOS: Mobil 1 and WAU celebrate 30 years in partnership
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