Shell has crowned former World Cup winning rugby star Matt Dawson ‘Shell FuelSave Celebrity Driver of the Year’ after he recorded an astounding 94.86km on just one litre of fuel, in the Shell Eco-marathon.

Driving an ultra energy efficient Shell Eco-marathon vehicle designed by students, on a challenging urban track, Matt Dawson battled it out against three other famous faces from across Europe. Celebrities included Jan Stecker, a TV anchor from Germany; Henk Timmer, a former national football player from the Netherlands; and Keremcem, a pop singer from Turkey. The head–to-head challenge put driving skills such as braking, accelerating and cornering to the test to see which celebrity could drive the furthest on the least amount of fuel.

Matt Dawson said: “I’m delighted to be named ‘Shell FuelSave Celebrity Driver of the Year’ but the real stars are the students. I’m so impressed by the creativity and skills of the student teams in approaching future energy challenges. It’s been an honour to be part of their journey to the Shell Eco-marathon and I look forward to cheering them on in their own driving challenges later today.”

The celebrity challenge took place at the opening ceremony of Shell Eco-marathon Europe in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Shell Eco-marathon brings together thousands of young students from around 24 countries as they compete in ultra energy efficient cars they have designed and built. The event sparks debate about the future of mobility and inspires young engineers to push the boundaries of fuel efficiency.

While Shell Eco-marathon showcases innovative approaches to meeting future energy challenges, in the lead up to the event Shell challenged Matt Dawson to drive from Preston to London on as little Shell FuelSave fuel as possible and demonstrate it is possible for everyone to be more fuel efficient today. Meeting Shell Eco-marathon student teams and Shell scientists along the route, Matt picked up hints and tips on how the right fuel choice and simple changes to driving habits can help save you fuel, preparing him for the ultimate challenge in Rotterdam and enabling Matt to share what he had learned with regular drivers along the way.

Dawson added: “The whole experience has been a real journey of discovery for me. I had no idea how easy it could be to reduce your fuel consumption and costs. Simple things like fuel choice, vehicle maintenance and driving style and behaviour can make a big difference. I’ve learned how to become a more fuel efficient driver and enjoyed sharing my newfound knowledge with other motorists.”

David Moss, Shell Retail general manager UK and Nordics said: “It was great to see all the celebrities perform so well and their success shows just how easy it is for anyone to save fuel and reduce their fuel costs. That’s why Shell has launched Target One Million, a campaign that aims to help one million drivers around the world learn how to save fuel. Via a series of online games at www.shell.co.uk/targetonemillion, drivers can discover simple tips to help them improve their fuel efficiency.”

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