Question about paint on F1 cars??....

Its not really paint, imagine a large profalactic..........................maybe not.

 

Is it even possible to paint carbon fiber? I know Red Bull switched painting their car to going to vinyl or vice-versa last year.

 

Yes, F40 is an example of painted cf.

 

Hi, I hope this helps you:

I have a part of a crashed Ferrari F1-2000, so it´s really sectioned and you can see the components, and it is composed of:
honeycomb/ carbon fiber/ a layer of white primer/ Ferrari Red Paint / Clear coat / vinyl decals.
About the weight I cannot tell you much, but I can tell you is a thin coat of primer/paint/clearcoat, not as thick as in a car.

Best Regards

JELPSPEED

 

The paint on F1 cars is wafer thin, and they really try to minimize the layers of paint on a car to keep the weight down. Weight is such a concern that when Ford bought Tyrrell and turned it into Jaguar Racing, they had a problem with the weight of the metallic green paint since the pigmentation caused it to weigh more per volume than a lighter colored paint, and the metallic green paint that they used ended up weighing a few kilos more than the white paint.

 

wonder how many hours they spend painting the mac..

 

from a technical description regarding graphic design over F1 liveries...hope it helpes with the original question.

“Quite often, the conceptual paint scheme is really a separate entity to what you see finished and out on the race track. At some point, a balance has to be struck between aesthetics and practicality, as well as development of the car itself. For example, a line or proportion of colour may have to be adjusted to make room for a larger logo, or to fit the contours of a new piece of bodywork. The car evolves continuously and along with it, so too does the paint scheme.

“The development of the paint scheme is something that follows the evolution of the car, but on the whole, the changes made are usually very subtle. However, occasionally it becomes necessary to make a significant change. This can come about because of a sponsorship deal change, or simply because the scheme and branding gradually evolves so much over the course of a season that the original concept begins to lose its impact and clarity.”

During winter testing, the public often sees images of various teams running next season’s design ideas, minus the fancy paint job. Despite this visual anonymity, the finish of the bodywork is always kept shiny, with mechanics spending a great deal of time meticulously polishing and cleaning this spotless, albeit temporary, surface.

According to Taylor, that’s because the fit and finish of a Formula One car is vital to its aerodynamic efficiency.

“The quality of the paint’s finish is an important consideration with respect to the car’s performance. For example, when a stripe is applied to the car, it’s another few layers of paint sprayed locally over the base colour. This creates a difference – albeit a minute one – in the height of the paint levels on the car. If there is a discernible 'step' between paint levels, and depending on where that step is on the car, it can affect the air flow over that surface to the detriment of the car’s performance simply by creating extra drag. Even if it’s a fraction of a millimeter, it has to be addressed, because all of these fractions can add up to a noticeable problem. It’s therefore important to ensure a uniform surface, and the painters work very hard to smooth out these surfaces as best they can.

“The shut lines – the gaps where two or more separate pieces of bodywork meet – are also painted with great care. It’s important to keep these gaps to an absolute minimum, and the transition between two panels needs to be as smooth and clean as possible. If the edges of the paint work are square and sharp, then the two pieces will butt together with a cleaner join and help air flow over the car, as opposed to through it.

“When you consider all these details, and the fact that the cars have to be repainted on average every two races, it’s really amazing that these paint shops can strip, repaint and finish a full car in just two days.”

 

It was Toro Rosso that switched from decals to paint for their sponsor logos to "save wait and improve aerodynamics."

 

Yes you can. My doors on my 911 are Carbon, and my dash top is carbon with a clear coat.

 

Do you need super special paint? I read in a magazine that for the new Vette GM shells out 60k a gallon for clear paint that goes on the carbon fiber.

 

Hey Spicoli! Lay off the herb!

Ford didn't buy Tyrrell. Tyrrell sold to BAT, et al. Jaguar came out of Stewart Grand Prix.

 

That's a specialty blend that prevents the carbon fiber resin from turning yellow over the years from exposure to sun. You wouldn't need to worry about that on an F1 car as they're not out in the sun as much and they get re-sprayed very often.

 

You are correct, but he is right about the metalics in the paint being too heavy. From what I remember Jag F1 spent quite a bit of cash to get the weight down.

 

Sorry Brah, I had just rolled out of the VW bus in a cloud of smoke. You're right about the F1 teams that were bought & sold.

 

youre welcome

...I´ll try some further search about paint weight...

 

Sod the paint, tell the driver's get rid of the bum fluff round there chop's JB are you listening.. it's ballast/weight..

 

American Airlines flies with a non-painted fuselage to save weight/fuel burn. Several hundred pounds or more.
The downside, not important in F1, is more maintenance ( polish time ) and more susceptibility to corrosion. Also a painted fuselage is more aerodynamic ; less drag.

I am surprised that in F1 there are not more vortex generators used to control the airflow which I feel is more important than the drag they produce. An F1 car is an Aero pig to begin with.

I believe most F1 cars have to be ballasted up to their racing weight as most are designed under to begin with.
Keeping the sponsors billboard immaculate and beautiful is paramount.

 

I have a shell special early catalog about F1 efforts that states ..."the weight of the paint on an F1 car is aprox. 1 lb"...

trying to get some serious data or a link but no luck

 

It's true that AA saves fuel due to the decreased weight of the paint (as much as 1,000 lbs on a 747) but there is actually LESS maintenance, less downtime, and less corrosion for a non painted aircraft.

Bob

 

...damn, this paint thing is a really good question...I´d better find something or It´ll be ringing in my head forever...

 

Painting a car at RenaultF1

Next week will be an important step for the team, with the chassis departing to be painted. When it returns, it will sport, for the first time, its race colours. As if by magic, the raw carbon fibre chassis will begin wearing its heart on its sleeve.

A special relationship
The chassis are not painted at Enstone, but 50 kilometres from the factory. A specialist supplier takes charge of this high-precision job. "The monocoque is weighed as it leaves the factory," explains Keith Dunsby, Assistant Composites Manager. "It is then collected, and returns two days later."
Naturally, painting of the chassis occurs in the utmost secrecy. Apart from the five employees who work directly with the team, nobody is allowed access to the car. "Furthermore, our partners are prepared to go to every length to ensure the quickest turnaround, to the extent of working through the night," explains Keith.

Taking measurements
The first chassis will give Jon Woods, the team's Head of Graphics, to fine-tune the car's livery. The engine cover and nose are required in addition to the chassis in order to lay out the full livery. The car's lines are recreated using adhesive tape, with the aim of avoiding lack of continuity between different parts.


This stage allows the team to take the measurements which are then used during the rest of the season. "Afterwards, our objective is to paint the chassis for the minimum possible weight, firstly with a coat of white primer, then with the final colours," continues Keith. "By the end of the process, the monocoque shouldn't have gained any more than 500 grams extra. We check that carefully when it gets back to the factory, because weight is such a critical parameter in F1." The paint then dries in an oven, heated to 60°C. After cooling, the part then undergoes a polishing process several hours long.

The devil is in the detail
"The finished article must have a perfectly smooth surface at the points where the colour changes," clarifies Keith Dunsby. "The tiniest superfluous millimetre can ruin part of the car's aerodynamic performance." With the seven chassis produced each season, bodywork, wings, developments and the stripping and re-painting of the chassis between races, several hundred paints are painted each year. Sometimes, even insignificant components need to lick of paint: parts produced in resin by stereolithography are painted black in order to standardise their appearance.

Finally, Keith's nightmare: chippings. "Some circuits are harsher than others for the paintwork," he smiles. "After taking so much care over the car's appearance, it almost breaks your heart to see all the small stones on the edge of the circuit that chip the paint!"

Source: Renault F1 Team 2004
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