Formula 1
Sparco to provide McLaren racesuits
Team McLaren Mercedes is delighted to announce that Sparco has joined its portfolio of Partners as Official Supplier of race wear to the team. The relationship will see Sparco exclusively provide advanced race wear, which has been developed to help ...
Published: Feb 20, 2004, 8:18 PM
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Team McLaren Mercedes is delighted to announce that Sparco has joined its portfolio of Partners as Official Supplier of race wear to the team. The relationship will see Sparco exclusively provide advanced race wear, which has been developed to help improve the drivers' environment in the cockpit, to Team McLaren Mercedes drivers David Coulthard, Kimi Raikkonen, Alex Wurz and Pedro de la Rosa.
The race suits are produced using Sparco Tex-Thread W-150™ based on a new extra light Nomex fabric (298 g/smq) and Sparco Isotec Friction 50™, fireproof material with stretching capabilities (15%). This innovative technology has been developed in conjunction with the Team McLaren Mercedes drivers. It is based on combining multiple layers of different high tech fabrics in order to provide lightweight and enhanced breathability characteristics, which also improves the race suits versatility under varied conditions of use.
"We have been wearing a development version of the new race suits from Sparco at recent tests and have been impressed with their performance, the material is a definitely improvement and it is a significant step forward," said David Coulthard, Team McLaren Mercedes driver. "We already have our race suits tailor made, as we all have different preferences for example Kimi prefers his suit to be looser than mine. However the technology Sparco has incorporated into the new suits has definitely improved my comfort whilst sitting in the car as there are less pressure points."
"During the tests in the build-up to the start of the 2004 Formula One season, we will continue to work with technicians from Sparco on honing the design and I am looking forward to wearing the final version. Particularly for the first three Grands Prix, which are taking place in Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain locations that tend to have hot atmospheric conditions, which is where the new suits should provide the maximum benefits, as they already feel much cooler."
"Driver safety in Formula One is paramount and race wear is a major element of any competitors protective equipment. In addition to this safety requirement, there is also a comfort aspect, which has a clear influence on performance levels," commented Martin Whitmarsh, Managing Director of McLaren Racing at a signing ceremony on 12th February attended by Sparco's President and Managing Director, Diego Basso.
"We have entered into our long-term Partnership with Sparco as a result of their technical capabilities and consequential benefits provided to the Team McLaren Mercedes drivers in this area, as a result of the innovative light-weight and breathable race suits that Sparco have developed exclusively for the team."
"Only through strategic partnerships with leading teams like Team McLaren Mercedes it is possible to make progress in product development, and consequently increasing the safety and performance in motor racing," said Diego Basso during the ceremony.
"Behind the resources that Sparco dedicates to R&D for increasing the quality and the performances of our products, there is the enthusiasm and passion to work closely with the people that through their hard work on the racetrack provide essential information to our technicians. The introduction of the new race suits for Team McLaren Mercedes marks a technological milestone, and represents the future of specialised clothing."
-mclaren-
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