CLEAN MACHINE

Team McLaren Mercedes has a reputation as the best-presented team in Formula 1 – a title earned with the help of Officeal Supplier SONAX.

The worst race is Canada, “ says Rodney Morgan, who is part of Team McLaren Mercedes; race support crew. “there seems to be more flies at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve than anywhere else, and they can be quite difficult to remove.” Morgan's job would undoubtedly be more difficult if it wasn't for the latest car-cleaning products from SONAX – an Official Supplier of Team McLaren Merecedes. One squirt of SONAX's specialist insect remover and even the most obtrusive bluebottles are in the bin within seconds. It's an ongoing task,” says Morgan, “but it takes less time to clean the cars if you keep on top of the situation. Dirt builds up quickly at 200mph, particularly at the circuits with heavy braking such as Montreal and Monza; brakedust gets everywhere, from the nose to the rear wing.”

“I usually clean the cars at the end of each practice and qualifying run. I start at the front, around the nose-mounted camera, which is the area that the television audience gets to see close up, and then work my way backwards”

SONAX supplies Team McLaren Mercedes with eight individual cleaning products, and the results speak for themselves: the new-for-06 chrome livery looks stunning at speed, at rest, and in all weathers. But the need of spotless bodywork goes beyond simply looking good or wanting to ensure that Partner logos are visible at 200mph; it reflects the attention to detail that has become a trademark of Team McLaren Mercedes.

Due to the highly reflective nature of this year's livery, it is especially importatnt that the finish immaculate.

“SONAX's products are perfect for the chrome bodywork,” says Morgan. “They are milder, easier to use and give a better finish compared to products we've used in the past”

The team's use of SONAX products isn't limited to the Formula 1 cars; they are used to clean every surface the team relies on at the track. The temporary pit facility walls, the race transporters – including their tyres – and the Team Communications Centre all looks as they do because they've been meticulously prepared using SONAX shampoos and polishes, Manfred Hoffman, the company's chairman, was a guest of Team McLaren Mercedes at the German Grand Prix, and he was spotted examining the shine of the Formula 1 cars and the other team vehicles. “It's quite satisfying to come to a race and see how good the team looks,” he says. “We don't develop any products specifically for Formula 1. The products that the team use are exactly the same as those you can buy in the shops. We are very proud of that. Motor racing is an excellent environment for us to showcase our products.”

The Partnership with the Team McLaren Mercedes is the icing of the cake of SONAX's sports sponsorship portfolio, but the relationship has far more tangible benefits for the team members responsible for keeping everything pristine.

“SONAX's products really are exceptional,”says John Turner, the team's transporter build coordinator. “At the European races, part of my job is to park the transporters and clean them before the start of the race weekend. They can be very dirty after a long journey, so the first thing i do is clean them with the SONAX shampoo. It rinses off very clean and hardly leaves any soap residue, which is useful because it means you don't have to then spend time rinsing the surfaces with water before getting to work with a chamois.”

Turner uses specialist SONAX products for the tyres, plastics, aluminium and chrome surfaces. It's a big job and, like Morgan, he cleans regularly to decrease the total amount of work. Even when the transporters are sitting at the McLaren Technology Centre, he polishes them to ensure they start each journey with a perfect finish.

“The products we use are great because they leave no smears,” says Turner. “SONAX products really are the best.”

Every finish is important to Team McLaren Mercedes on the racetrack and on their paintwork.