Fighting the downward power curve with Liqui Moly

Take Formula 1, for example. FIA rules state that each driver should only use three internal combustion engines per season (although there are additional spares allowed for the electronic, hybrid and turbo components). With each engine therefore expected to last for a full seven races in 2021 – plus practice and qualifying for each – it’s natural that by the end of its heavy workload there is going to be some wear and tear.

F1 manufacturers are coy on exactly how much power their units lose during a sequence of grands prix, and the varying designs of each brand also has an impact – for example it appears that this year’s Honda engine had a flatter degradation curve than that of Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton’s fresh ICE for the Brazilian Grand Prix helped him power to a sixth victory of the year, even if it came at the cost of a grid place penalty. There was more than a smidgeon of Hamilton brilliance that went into achieving that result too, but rival team bosses reckoned the new unit to be worth a couple of tenths of a second per lap for Hamilton, ramming home the performance advantage of a fresh engine.

The same can be said for ‘lifed’ components, such as those used in endurance racing where gearbox and engine packages can be guaranteed for set period of time or mileage before requiring servicing to correct any degrading performance.

Or even when buying a new car. How many times have you heard lines like ‘those are easily good for 250,000 miles’, or ‘that’ll go on forever if you look after it right’ when considering your next run-around?

The key to it all is controlling that downward curve, and thanks to additives and lubricant expert Liqui Moly, even the everyday motorist now has a secret weapon to help stop the rot.

Perhaps the most important element within any engine is its oil. It’s the lifeblood that keeps it running, but sometimes even that could use with a bit of boost. And help has arrived in the form of Liqui Moly’s revolutionary Cera Tec additive, which is as simple to use as it is ingenious.

Developed in Germany by Liqui Moly’s scientific experts, Cera Tec is a ceramic wear protection additive which, when mixed with your engine’s oil, cleverly creates a ceramic coating around the moving parts of your engine’s internals, ensuring excellent lubrication and preventing any damaging metal-to-metal contact.

Its low-friction effect has many benefits, not least improved fuel consumption, a quieter and smoother running engine, and therefore one that better resists that drop in performance. As well as strongly improved emergency running properties in case of a loss of oil.

As a demonstration, if added to a glass of water, Cera Tec rises to the top to form a protective layer, coating anything that’s pushed through. In the real world, Cera Tec’s ceramic particles will rise to the top of your engine’s cylinders, coating components such as the pistons and cylinder linings, reducing the friction of the moving parts of your engine. In doing so, the particles also help to fill any scratches in the linings, therefore helping to restore lost performance.

And it’s not even reserved for professionals only. Simply grab yourself a can of Cera Tec, give it a good shake, and then apply it directly into your engine at your next oil change. Within 100-200 miles of driving, the particles will have reached their destination, coating will be complete and you’ll experience the full effects of the product.

It may not turn you directly into Lewis Hamilton, but it’ll certainly help to keep your car running sweetly for a while yet.

For more information on Cera Tec and Liqui Moly’s entire range of engine additives, visit liqui-moly.com.