Ever wish you could dip into Ferrari's racing stable, film some high-speed hijinks, and get paid for it, to boot? Envy the producers of Shell Oil's Circuit spot, as they did just that.
Between January and February of 2007, this team - led by director Antoine Bardou-Jacquet - hauled six Formula 1 racers from Ferrari's scuderia across the globe, stopping in Rome, New York, Hong Kong, Rio de Janero, Monaco, and Sydney.
In each locale, teams meticulously prepped each car for action, adding fake dirt, weathering, and awkwardly-large camera rigs to each car. We'd have to wonder what a 1952 F500 handles like with a heavy Panavision camera mounted over the front axle - but we're certain taking such a priceless beauty into a corner with the extra weight is nerve-wracking.
Total cost to produce the spot was close to $10 million - a hefty bill, but when considering the expense to airlift several cars across several continents, it actually starts to sound reasonable. With a million YouTube views, several awards, and the impassioned adoration of tifosi everywhere, we'd say Circuit was certainly a success for Shell.