Producing Composites for the Renault F1

Up to five different materials go into the production of an F1 chassis, including carbon fibers, resins, and aluminum honeycomb. Up to 500 ply patterns are cut on a Lectra cutting machine. Each skin contains 150 to 200 pieces, and is debulked in an autoclave during layup. Engineers must make trades between thicker cores, which are stiffer but also weigh more, and thinner cores, which save weight but are more flexible. Although most F1 components can be made by a single technician, layup of the chassis requires ten technicians working both day and night shifts.