FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[7UpJordan]

I know some teams now feel that they can gain performance through how thick their paint is, but could it play just as big a part this coming season as the new regulations?

Extended PPG Agreement

18 February 09

The AT&T Williams team today confirmed that it had reached an extended agreement with its long term technical partner, PPG. PPG has been a technical partner of the team since 2003, supplying paint finishes for the AT&T Williams team’s race cars at minimum weight and highest definition finishes for all-important sponsor identification.

Founded in 1883 as the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, the world-famous PPG Industries is a global supplier of coatings, glass, fibre glass and chemicals. The company has more than 140 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates and operates in more than 60 countries. Sales in 2008 were $15.8 billion. The company’s specialist surface finishing technologies have enabled the AT&T Williams team to achieve the highest possible presentation standards in the globally visible world of Formula One, while contributing to all-important weight savings that contribute to lap time savings on the race track.

Alex Burns, Williams F1’s Chief Operating Officer said, “Every weight saving on our race cars makes a real and direct contribution to lap time and paint finishes are part of this consideration. PPG have consistently helped us maintain our finish standards while reducing the weight demand. This winter we have worked in tandem on another progression in the painting of the FW31 race cars which has enabled us to use less primer and no lacquer coat, providing another significant step forward. We value their important contribution and this new and extended agreement is both commercially and competitively welcome.”

Paul Tranter, Business Development Manager for PPG Refinish said, "We are very pleased to renew our partnership with AT&T Williams. Since PPG became a Partner in 2003, this partnership has brought increasing value and interest in our business. We are proud that we continue to bring PPG´s innovative tailored paint to the challenging and evolving world of Formula One.

It will be interesting to see how much performance the FW31 gains through this new paint technique they have been working on for the new car over the winter.

[simcaster]

Shouldn't Honda have done really well. No sponsors, not that much paint. Perhaps it was that stupid earth on the back of the car.

[7UpJordan]

Shouldn't Honda have done really well. No sponsors, not that much paint. Perhaps it was that stupid earth on the back of the car.

The Honda Earth livery from 2007 was wrapped onto the car and then set by blowing a hair dryer or something like that. I saw it on a Motorsport review program which I think was on Sky Sports.

Maybe they had to skip using paint to stop the cars being slower than the Spykers.

[headless]

The Earth livery was intersting though.

[scotty]

Well, i suppose if you can save tiny amounts of weight throughout the car it'll add up to something significant.... hmm, i wonder how much an F1 team would typically spend on paint alone every year? £25,000 or something bloody ridiculous like that?

[7UpJordan]

Well, i suppose if you can save tiny amounts of weight throughout the car it'll add up to something significant.... hmm, i wonder how much an F1 team would typically spend on paint alone every year? £25,000 or something bloody ridiculous like that?

Maybe that explains why Toyota never change their boring livery, to save money!

[Jag Racing]

I remember back around 5 or 10 years ago when ppg where starting to market the holographic colours that they where in the area of around 700 to 1000 bux per liter. i would imagine the chrome paint on the McLaren cars would cost a penny or two.

as for the difference in weight, i think it would be negligible but would still count. maybe a couple of hundreths,

[darwin dali]

I've been wondering for a while now why there's been not much research into coating of F1 cars (or is there?).
I would think the airplane industry has a thing or two to contribute. Also, how about dimples (like on a golf ball)? Would they be legal under current FIA regs?

[bmwpower]

I've been wondering for a while now why there's been not much research into coating of F1 cars (or is there?).
I would think the airplane industry has a thing or two to contribute. Also, how about dimples (like on a golf ball)? Would they be legal under current FIA regs?

Golf balls only works when its in the air or airborn, oh wait, maybe bring DC back just for that purpose, because he's good at airborning other cars around him

[headless]

Well, i suppose if you can save tiny amounts of weight throughout the car it'll add up to something significant.... hmm, i wonder how much an F1 team would typically spend on paint alone every year? £25,000 or something bloody ridiculous like that?

Yeah it probably is something massive like that.
Paint like 4,000,000 houses for that price.

[cap-dude]

I guess no ones told them about the minium weight thing.
It doesn't matter about making the car lighter. You can only make it so light under the regulations. If they wanted to make the car lighter, they'd be doing more than using nice paint. But they don't, cause the car has to weight at least 600kg.

[Gaz]

I guess no ones told them about the minium weight thing.
It doesn't matter about making the car lighter. You can only make it so light under the regulations. If they wanted to make the car lighter, they'd be doing more than using nice paint. But they don't, cause the car has to weight at least 600kg.

yeh but its abous usefull weight.

if they can make the paint lighter then can use that weight to put somthing more useful in the car like KERS, more stiffness/streagth etc..

[welshie]

It's more about aero I think. The better the surface finish, the less drag the car creates. A couple of years ago Red Bull switched from using stickers for their logo and sponsors to painting them on. It apparently gave them a larger than expected gain in aero efficiency.

[Gaz]

It's more about aero I think. The better the surface finish, the less drag the car creates. A couple of years ago Red Bull switched from using stickers for their logo and sponsors to painting them on. It apparently gave them a larger than expected gain in aero efficiency.

yeh, its a gain on both fronts really weight and aero but much more about aero

[texasmr2]

The consensus and research has always been that a F1 cars paint job is as smooth as a baby's rear so the TRUE advantage has come in weight not aero. Unless the engineers have made a 180 degree turn in their findings and research over the last 20-30yr's, of which I have heard nothing of, I still believe the weight advantage is far superior to the aero advantage.

Just my take on the subject,
tex