Motorsport’s speed of innovation with advanced materials

Just watched again the video of Lewis Hamilton’s recent pole lap in Sepang where he reaches a whopping 327 km/h. At one point the rpm hits 12.300, falling not so shy of the maximum potential of 15.000 for Formula 1 engines.

Arriving at such mega velocity demands optimized efficiency, as we’re talking serious power delivery by anyone’s reckoning, which is why high speeds in motorsports call for new speeds of innovation. 

Here Solvay supports motorsports in line with its offer of advanced materials for Automotive, which has my team and I proposing enhancements to the performance of these vehicles through the company’s latest solutions in specialty polymers and thermoset composites. 

Of these, the latter have been utilised extensively in motor racing since the first Formula One monocoque was manufactured from carbon fibre and epoxy resin in 1981. Our understanding over the years of how composite materials behave in motorsport structures with very different requirements has progressed hugely.

Solvay has developed material systems including our MTM? and HTM? ranges which perform in the most demanding environments, from impact structures such as the nose cone to the high temperature demands of engine heat shields and brake ducting. Year-on-year, composite parts are getting lighter as both material technology and design capability advance. Key to our success is working with customers to identify the best fibre-resin combination to successfully pass the stringent test requirements set out by motorsport governing bodies.

Included in our offering to motorsports are Solvay’s high performance thermoplastic technologies, Torlon? PAI and KetaSpire? PEEK, which allow designers to create innovative lightweighting solutions like replacing needle bearings with polymeric thrust bearings. In addition, we have a broad range of new generation fluoroelastomers that extend component life by boosting sealing performance in both engines and gearboxes.

Here again Solvay’s own speed of innovation is able to meet the ongoing challenges of motorsports in offering winning specialty polymer and thermoset composite solutions – so ensuring its continuing contribution towards reaching that finishing line with improved performance.