BAE SYSTEMS partners West McLaren Mercedes in Formula 1 world title bid

BAE SYSTEMS, which last year extended its long standing partnership with West McLaren Mercedes, plays a key role in developing innovative aerodynamic, material and instrumentation solutions for the motor racing outfit.

'The design synergies between the aerospace and motor racing industries are obvious given the vital part of aerodynamics in both,' said Simon Keith, Managing Director Middle East, BAE SYSTEMS.

'The principles are the same, except that for aircraft you require lift and for cars you need downforce, hence references to a F1 car as 'an upside down jet.'

'The technology partnership helps sharpen the focus on high quality engineering as mission critical - the theme at the heart of BAE SYSTEMS' Engineering Excellence Programme. The transfer of technology, culture and expertise between the two companies is invaluable for both sides.

Drawing on BAE SYSTEMS' expertise in the field of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) the partnership uses computer generated models to analyse how air flows around a car in a digital wind tunnel in an effort to improve the competitiveness of West McLaren Mercedes' Formula 1 cars.

Other areas of collaboration include the use of carbon fibre composites and the development of revolutionary technology such as so-called 'smart' structures made from materials known as shape memory alloys that can change shape depending on pressure and temperature and Micro Electrical Mechanical Systems that can control airflow itself rather than adjusting surfaces to direct it.

Meanwhile, space age manufacturing processes such as stereo lithographing, whereby a solid component can be formed out of a liquid without the use of a mould simply by firing a computer-generated ultra violet laser beam into a rank of polymer, have been developed for wider applications through the partnership between BAE SYSTEMS and West McLaren Mercedes.

'McLaren and BAE SYSTEMS share an approach dedicated to pushing the boundaries of technology, and setting new standards of excellence in the development of high performance engineering products,' said Ron Dennis, Chairman and CEO, The McLaren Group.

'A prime example of the Partnership is the secondment of BAE SYSTEMS' experts to the West McLaren Mercedes team's design office, encouraging innovative thinking and enabling both parties to draw on each others' knowledge and experience to deliver better solutions.'

The BAE SYSTEMS logo will appear on the airbox of the new West McLaren Mercedes Formula One car, the MP4-19, throughout the 2004 Formula 1 Grand Prix season. Middle East motor racing fans will see the car for the first time in the region at the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix on April 4.