Bianca named Shell Celebrity Driver of the Year

Congratulations to Bianca Gonzalez, columnist of The STAR’s Sunday Lifestyle, who was named “Shell FuelSave Celebrity Driver of the Year” following her final leg in the Shell FuelSave Celebrity Driving Challenge last Friday, Feb. 7, opening of the racing event.

According to Funfare Update’s sources at Shell, Bianca took to the Shell Eco-Marathon track in an ultra-energy efficient vehicle built by engineering students and beat competition from three other famous faces, driving an astounding distance of 67.61 kilometers on just one liter of  Shell FuelSave. The challenge for the participants is to drive the farthest using the least amount of energy, demonstrating how anyone can become more fuel efficient by using the right fuel and making a few simple changes to driving habits.

Bianca’s batch included actor Alex Simon Rendell of Thailand; model and TV host Lisa Surihani of Malaysia; and celebrity DJ Jean Danker of Singapore.
Gonzalez was quoted as saying, “I’m delighted to be crowned Shell FuelSave Celebrity Driver of the Year and to be part of this enthusiastic team. However, the real stars here are the students. It’s been an honor to be part of their experience and to see such dedication and creativity in approaching future energy needs and challenges.”

Oying Yam, Pilipinas Shell vice president for retail, said, “We are delighted to celebrate such an impressive result today. Through Shell Eco-marathon we hope to inspire the next generation of engineers to meet future energy needs. Bianca has also shown Filipino drivers how easy it can be to become more fuel efficient today.”

On its fifth year in Asia, Shell Eco-marathon is one of the world’s most innovative student competitions, inviting teams from around the world to compete in ultra energy efficient vehicles they have designed and built, sparking debate around the future of mobility. Joining the marathon in Manila are over 100 teams from 15 countries, including 15 teams from the Philippines.

It was in the lead-up to the marathon in which Shell challenged Bianca to drive from Shell Refinery in Tabangao, Batangas, to Intramuros, Manila.

Bianca is now preparing for the final challenge.

(To find out more about Shell Eco-marathon and discover simple tips to help manage motoring costs, visit www.shell.com.ph.)