The McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 racing team has unveiled the MP4-29, its new car for the 2014 Formula 1 season, and once again, it features a high performance, high gloss chrome coating provided by Sikkens.

A full technology partner of the McLaren Group, Sikkens a refinish brand from AkzoNobel, have been working with the F1 team since 2008, when Sikkens first began providing high-performance solutions. 

The 2014 season is shaping up to be a very exciting one for McLaren with a new driver, a new racing director, and a radically different car which has looked very promising in tests.

McLaren demands the absolute highest quality, highest performance, and most advanced coatings available. Because every gram counts, coatings must be ultra-lightweight, but at the same time, they must conform to the most rigorous technical standards. To achieve those objectives, the skilled professionals on the McLaren paint shop floor work in close cooperation with Sikkens technicians and engineers throughout the development process, first in the lab and the McLaren Technology Centre, and then in test runs on the track under the extreme conditions of F1 racing.

In addition to the payoffs for the McLaren team, the McLaren-Sikkens partnership brings important benefits for Sikkens customers. The continuous improvement of Sikkens vehicle refinishes systems is a direct result not only of working together with partners like McLaren, but also listening to the needs of local painters working with Sikkens products on a daily basis. For example, spinoffs from these partnerships have found their way into products like Autowave 2.0, the new Sikkens waterborne basecoat system.

This year’s F1 season kicks off at the Australian Grand Prix on March 16, with Jenson Button teaming up with a new team mate Kevin Magnussen on the grid.

You can find out more about the Sikkens-McLaren partnership, as well as other news from Sikkens at www.sikkensvr.com or check on the SikkensCR Facebook page.