A vacuum pump lubricant supply system has a lubricant reservoir and a wicking element. The body portion has opposed major surfaces and a finger. The lubricant reservoir has a major surface engaging one of the opposed major surfaces of the body portion so that lubricant can migrate through the engaging major surfaces into the body portion. The finger projects from the body portion to engage a lubricant transfer device provided on a rotor shaft so that lubricant can wick from the body portion to the lubricant transfer device via the finger. The body portion has an edge provided with a cut-out so that the major surface of the body portion that engages the major surface of the lubricant container has a total surface area that is less than the total surface area of the major surface of the lubricant container.