KUALA LUMPUR, 8 October 2024 – Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team Principal Toto Wolff and drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell recently visited the PETRONAS Twin Towers, in conjunction with the PETRONAS’ 50th anniversary celebrations.
Wolff, who was in Kuala Lumpur ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, reunited with 43 former interns of the six-month PETRONAS and Mercedes internship programme, which has welcomed Malaysia’s brightest young minds to the team’s headquarters in the United Kingdom since 2011.
In a panel session, Wolff was joined by three former interns – one from the 2013 internship who is now a manager in PETRONAS and two students who had just completed their internship in July this year – during which, they reflected on their memories and the successes the programme helped them achieve.
Wolff said, “It was a proud moment seeing so many former PETRONAS interns today, some even from as far back as the 2013 intake. It was great to see how these interns have grown and become more senior in their career. This programme is not like any other conventional internship and provides an opportunity to learn in a fast-paced environment, exploring many different areas within the team allowing the participants to develop their skills and reflect on exactly what they want to pursue in their career.”
The latest cohort will be heading to Brackley, United Kingdom, in January next year, with applications currently open, and Wolff said the next generation could look to those in attendance as role models for their own careers.
Wolff also met with PETRONAS’ senior leadership team to discuss various topics which include sustainable fuel and innovations. The two organisations have driven success on and off the track since coming together in 2010 and, with joint passions for innovation and technology, their future aspirations remain just as ambitious as ever.
Separately, Hamilton and Russell, who arrived after the Grand Prix participated in a special Q&A session with 900 PETRONAS employees at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS (DFP), which included sharing on the successful legacy of the partnership between PETRONAS and Mercedes.
Hamilton said: "I always love coming to Kuala Lumpur and visiting the team at PETRONAS. It's been a wonderful journey together and I appreciate the hard work that the team has done to support myself and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team during my career.”
Russell added: It's great coming to Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur to see our extended family at PETRONAS, and especially this time as we celebrate their 50th anniversary. It's special coming here, because we get so much support from everybody who works and contributes towards the success of the team. PETRONAS is such an integral part of what goes on at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team and I’m always excited to hear about the future projects.”
Looking back into the partnership, the two organisations have driven success both on and off the track since they came together in 2010. With joint passions for innovation and technology, their future aspirations remain just as ambitious as ever.
“The relationship between PETRONAS and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team is almost reaching 15 years now. We’ve gone from strength to strength and won eight consecutive World Championships together. Not only is PETRONAS our marketing partner but also a technical one, and our success is due to the lubricants and fuels PETRONAS has supplied to us,” added Wolff.
Russell was also given insights into the company’s innovations during his visit to the PETRONAS Upstream Experience Centre, whilst Hamilton engaged in an exclusive session called “Get Real” that focused on strengthening awareness and understanding on diversity and inclusion within the company.
During their visit, Wolff, Hamilton and Russell also met with PETRONAS senior leadership team and were given a guided tour of ‘Galeri PETRONAS’ – featuring an exhibition on Malaysia’s national oil company’s growth, including a Formula One car and multiple Grand Prix trophies.
Hamilton added: "It was special to see the PETRONAS 50th Anniversary exhibit at Galeri PETRONAS which brought back some great memories."
PETRONAS Senior General Manager of Strategic Communications, Group Strategic Relations and Communications, Siti Azlina Abd Latif said, "We are happy to have the team celebrate our 50th anniversary with us. Together with Mercedes, PETRONAS will keep pushing boundaries with our Fluid Technology Solutions™ through innovative offerings, as we progress in our energy transition journey. This has been our legacy since the partnership was established 15 years ago.”
