Henkel and McLaren Mercedes MP4-20 in Top Form for the Green Light at Indianapolis
Team McLaren Mercedes Sets its Sights on the Grand Prix Lead with Henkel
DUSSELDORF, Germany and GULPH MILLS, Pa., June 13 -- Henkel Brand is in the driver's seat this weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway fusing strength, speed and reliability for Team McLaren Mercedes, currently ranked second in the 2005 Formula One Constructors' World Championship. With three decisive victories this season, the team is excelling under regulation changes affecting cars' aerodynamics while demanding greater endurance.
Team McLaren Mercedes MP4-20 soars onto American soil fortified with the most time-tested high-performance Henkel products in the automotive and aerospace industries. Rocketing at speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour and subjected to continual forces of torque and strain, the MP4-20 is in essence a supersonic jet on wheels, relying heavily upon the same Henkel technologies used in the production of modern aircraft from military fighter planes to the Airbus 380 super jumbo.
"This year's regulations pose new challenges to engineers and drivers and new demands on all car components and reliable partners like Henkel keep Team McLaren Mercedes on the cutting edge of innovation," said Martin Whitmarsh, CEO, Formula One, Team McLaren Mercedes. "Henkel's high-performance products are integral to our design and engineering processes, and its technicians help us determine the technologies and products best-suited to the temperatures and pressures that racing puts on the chassis and running parts."
Aerospace Innovation in Formula One
The MP4-20 is delivering excellent performance under newly mandated aerodynamic changes to the bodywork, such as a higher nose, front wing section and a more forward rear wing structure. Henkel's lightweight and high-strength products add aerodynamic efficiency and stiffness without adding weight to the car's precisely molded bodywork. The design element is key because unlike airplane wings designed to give airlift, on the Formula One car they are inverted providing down-force to enhance traction and maneuverability.
The 'monocoque,' or unibody, structure of the MP4-20 is essentially the same as the fuselage of a modern plane. Both are built of carbon-fiber composite materials that are twice the strength of steel and five times lighter. Furthermore, these materials are more capable of withstanding stress, strain and the extreme heat of the engine. The combination of Henkel's structural adhesives in the bodywork and the use of carbon fiber provide aerospace and Formula One engineers the freedom they need when designing and molding aerodynamic shapes.
Casting the Perfect Racing Machine
Before the MP4-20 is deployed on the racetrack, Henkel's association as Official Supplier to Team McLaren Mercedes begins with the manufacturing of molds used to create molded components such as front and rear wings. At the McLaren Technology Center in the United Kingdom, Henkel products are applied in production of the cars as well as on the models used for wind tunnel testing and continual design optimization.
Molds are cleaned with a Henkel brand cleaner, and then sealed with Frekote B-15 to ensure that they are free of "pin holes", avoiding imperfections in the car's surface that could negatively affect airflow on the racetrack. A Frekote mold release agent is then applied, providing a coating that bonds to the mold without transferring itself to the component, ensuring easy release of the part and enabling its immediate painting or bonding. Frekote enables engineers to reuse the molds many times, a crucial factor as the team creates eight to ten chassis each season.
In creating the MP4-20's nose cone and front wing, the team uses Hysol EA9686 film adhesive in the 'lay-up' of materials, in which patterns are cut to size to form specific parts. This Henkel adhesive is chosen for its excellent resistance to the extreme conditions Formula One cars endure on the racetrack. This same product is used to improve the strength of high- performance road production car bodies. Hysol EA9686 film adhesive is one of many Henkel products listed in more than 5,000 aerospace specifications.
"We are proud to be contributing to the team's winning streak with our broad product range, specific application knowledge and technical expertise," said Heinrich Gruen, senior vice president, Henkel Technologies. "Henkel products have a proven track record in aerospace applications and in making today's road vehicles safer, more comfortable and longer lasting."
Henkel -- A Driving Force in the Racing World
Around the world, Henkel has an extensive commitment to motorsports. In 2004, the Henkel logo appeared for the first time on the rear-wing of the Team McLaren Mercedes racecars. As Official Supplier, Henkel provides a wide variety of innovative solutions to the team, which began its association in 1995 as a technology partner with its Loctite brand. More than 100 different applications of Henkel products have been incorporated into the Team McLaren Mercedes MP4-20 in the 2005 Formula One World Championship. In North America, Henkel is a Busch Series sponsor of the No. 66 Ford Taurus from Brewco Motorsports -- driven by Greg Biffle, a former Busch Series champion and currently ranked second in the NEXTEL Cup Series. The Loctite brand is the Nextel Cup sponsor of Robert Yates Racing and the No. 38 M&M'S(R) Ford -- driven by Elliott Sadler who ranks third in the series.
For the 2005 Dakar Raid, a three-week, 10,000-kilometer race through grueling desert terrain, Henkel provided each racing team with an essential mechanical emergency kit containing a wide range of adhesives, sealants, maintenance products, cleaners and bonding tapes. In addition, a Henkel engineer accompanied the raid, providing each team with technical back up and support at each of the bivouacs.
About McLaren:
McLaren Racing, the company behind the Team McLaren Mercedes team, was formed in September 1980 as a result of a merger between Team McLaren and Project Four, a British company owned by Ron Dennis, now Chairman and CEO of the McLaren Group. McLaren has won eleven Formula One Drivers' Championships and eight Formula One Constructors' Championships including the 1998 and 1999 Drivers' World Championship. McLaren has competed in Formula One since 1966 and has proven to be one of the most successful Formula One teams of all time with 141 Grands Prix wins. To date, McLaren has raced in 585 Grands Prix. The McLaren Technology Center in Woking, England, the McLaren Group's new headquarters has been developed on a 50-hectare site. The facility includes design studios, laboratories, research and testing facilities, electronics development, machine shops and production facilities for the Team McLaren Mercedes Formula One cars and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. http://www.mclaren.com/
About Henkel:
The Henkel Group operates in three strategic business areas: Home Care; Personal care; and Adhesives, Sealants and Surface Treatments, which serves the transportation, electronics, aerospace, metal, durable goods, consumer goods, maintenance and repair and packaging industries, and offers a broad range of products for the craftsman and consumer. With brands and advanced technologies, Henkel makes people's lives easier, better, and more beautiful. More than 50,000 employees work for the Henkel Group worldwide. People in 125 countries around the world trust in brands and technologies from Henkel -- "A Brand like a Friend".
MEDIA CONTACT: Pattie Jacobus/Henkel/860-571-5248/Pattie.jacobus@us.henkel.com Brett Carrey/Burson-Marsteller/212-614-4908/brett_carrey@nyc.bm.comPhoto: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050613/NEM052
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