The livery of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, the six-time FIA Formula OneTM Constructors' Champion, Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Power+ race car is a progression of the 2019 car. With a newly added burgundy shade on the car, an infusion of colour thanks to Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team’s new Principal Partner, INEOS.
The flow lines in the striking bespoke PETRONAS green, a colour that Axalta has created for the Team for the 2019 season, are now outlined with the new EQ Black, a deeper, darker and more intense black that makes the Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Power+ look even more menacing.
2020 Barcelona Pre-Season Test 2, Day 1 - LAT Images
“ It's important that the race cars look great on the track and that our sponsors’ logos are displayed clearly. But what is exceptionally critical for us are the weight of the paint, the speed of its application and the ability of the entire paint system to be used over and over again, all season, season after season, with the same great results.
Spies Hecker delivers that for us.
”
Andrew Moody,
Head of Paint and Graphics at MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS
Situated in Brackley, England, about 70 miles northwest of London, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport occupies a 60,000m2 site with about 850 employees working five shifts, 24-hours a day, seven days a week. The team’s ultra-modern facilities include a wind tunnel, driver simulator and its own paint shop.
Being less than 10 miles from the Silverstone race circuit might seem the key factor for the team’s location, but Andrew Moody explains the site has other advantages. “We are in the centre of the so-called UK motorsports valley, which means we have many specialist suppliers within a 50-mile radius,” he says.
And one of those suppliers is Spies Hecker.
“ We have a long-standing relationship with Andrew Moody and his team so we understand thw pressure they are under, and in turn the requirements that our products perform, day after day, season after season. We're very proud that we can deliver the results they need, so that the team can deliver on the track.
”
Joachim Hinz,
Services Marketing Manager Refinish EMEA
When being painted, each part requires a huge amount of attention to detail, particularly relating to its weight, and the aerodynamically-sensitive parts require even more detailed finishing.
The substrates of the race car also vary depending on whether they are of a structural or of a cosmetic nature, and this impacts how the part is painted and its bake cycle. But regardless of the part or of the substrate, two things always hold true.
2020 Barcelona Pre-Season Test 2, Day 1 - Wolfgang Wilhelm
Thousands of hours...
Thousands of hours and thousands of parts.
With such an intricate livery on the car, Moody and his team face tough challenges. Over the course of this season, they will paint literally thousands of panels and components.
“ It takes about 150 hours to paint a race car, with the nose and rear wing each taking about 12 hours. The speed of application and reliability is essential.
We don't have time to accept anything less than perfect.
”
Andrew Moody,
Head of Paint and Graphics at MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS
2020 Barcelona Pre-Season Test 2, Day 1 - Wolfgang Wilhelm
The Paint Shop uses a variety of Spies Hecker products, including Priomat® Wash Primer 4075, then either Permasolid® HS Vario Primer Surfacer 5340, a high solid primer surfacer, or Permasolid® HS Performance Surfacer 5320, a fast drying 2K HS sanding surfacer. The Team’s colour gradients are painted with Permahyd Hi-TEC 480 Basecoat and the paint shop finish components with Permasolid® HS Optimum Plus Clear 8650 or with Permasolid HS Race Clear 8700.
The race car livery means that it is essential that every interchangeable component not only fits perfectly but also matches the colours and shading on the adjacent panels.
Work doesn't stop after the race.
Work doesn't stop after the race.
After every race, the Build Department strips the cars and then the individual parts are sent to Moody’s team in the paint shop. The parts are checked carefully and then usually repainted.
It may seem rather excessive to refinish the entire car after every race, but as Moody explains, there are valid reasons for it. “Consider qualifying or racing somewhere like Abu Dhabi or Bahrain, where there is a lot of sand in the air.
“ If a piece of gravel hits our car, it can take a piece out of the body, or can cause craters and nicks in the paint, which certainly will interfere with our aerodynamics, especially if the damage is on the front wing. It goes back to how aerodynamically important it is to “work to smooth”, and that means even after a race.
”
Andrew Moody,
Head of Paint and Graphics at MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS
2020 Barcelona Pre-Season Test 2, Day 2 - Wolfgang Wilhelm
A part that requires refinishing is first weighed, then stripped of its coatings, repainted, weighed again, inspected, and only then is it returned to the Build Department.
The team keeps a detailed record of each part’s weight history until that part becomes unusable. This is to ensure a part doesn’t “gain” weight over the course of its life. Some parts may be a tiny bit heavier after their first paint and will be slighter lighter after their second and subsequent repaints.
Most parts have a life span of four or five repaints, while some have shorter lifespans, often due to the substrate being very thin – perhaps only 1mil thick - or because the design might change.
Not just race cars.
Not just race cars.
Spies Hecker isn’t reserved for the race cars though. There are eight team trucks that are painted with Spies Hecker about every two years. And Moody’s team paints hundreds, if not thousands, of garage and hospitality boards, as well as everything from grid trollies and water bottles, to the engineer’s station on the pit wall.
Related links to the stories
- Race Spray Gun: paint like the World Champions
- Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team’s new livery and new colour
- Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Masterclass: airbrushing – precision and process create perfection
- Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport: Paint Shop on tour
- Paint overall with a Formula One look
- Iconic racing helmets
- Carbon Art 45 - fabulous carbon fibre sculptures
Digital Channels of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport:
Website: mercedesamgf1.com
Facebook: /MercedesAMGF1
Twitter: @MercedesAMGF1
Instagram: /MercedesAMGF1
YouTube: /MercedesAMGF1