Fender Bender: AkzoNobel and McLaren colour up

AkzoNobel has become a full technology partner to the McLaren Group after expanding and extending its current relationship with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. The announcement of the deal coincides with the launch in Berlin of the new MP4-26 Formula 1 car, which now features the AkzoNobel logo on the rear wing endplate.

The two companies have been working together since 2008, when AkzoNobel – through its Sikkens brand – became the official supplier of paint solutions to the McLaren Formula 1 team. Under the new four-year agreement, AkzoNobel will work closely with McLaren Racing to further develop its extreme environment technology for use in Formula 1 and wider industrial applications.

“Our innovative capabilities are well suited to McLaren’s high performance requirements,” AkzoNobel’s CEO, Hans Wijers, said. “The shared knowledge we have gained from the existing partnership has already enabled us to translate 80 per cent of the tailor-made solution supplied to McLaren Racing into a commercial value proposition for AkzoNobel customers.

McLaren group chairman, Ron Dennis, said he was delighted to expand the partnership with AkzoNobel, which had already contributed to several performance and efficiency improvements, including reducing the weight of the F1 car and halving the paint’s curing time.

The striking new MP4-26, which features a sophisticated, high gloss Sikkens system, will be driven by former champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

The first Grand Prix of the 2011 season took place in Melbourne in March.