{"$schema":"nativecad-dfm-pack/1","id":"motorsport","title":"Motorsport: how F1 and top-level race cars are made","sector":"motorsport","version":"2026-11-04","summary":"How F1 and other race cars are made and homologated: survival cell laminates and FIA 2026 tests, the carbon part path, metallics and AM, brakes, cages and FSAE, with rule years. Numbers are tagged SRC or EST.","aliases":["f1","formula 1","formula one","motorsport","race car","racing car","monocoque","survival cell","crash structure","wishbone","halo","le mans","hypercar","lmp","gt3","formula sae","fsae","indycar","carbon brake","roll cage","push rod","uprights","brake disc"],"crossSector":false,"size":"core","sources":[{"id":"fia-2026-c21","title":"FIA 2026 Formula 1 Regulations, Section C Technical, Issue 21 (19 Oct 2026)","url":"https://www.fia.com/system/files/documents/fia_2026_f1_regulations_-_section_c_technical_-_iss_21_-_2026-10-19.pdf","accessed":"2026-11-04","note":"Numbers change by issue."},{"id":"f1-tech-tuesday-brakes","title":"Formula1.com Tech Tuesday: how teams cope with brake-killer Canada","url":"https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/tech-tuesday-how-teams-cope-with-brake-killer-canada.3kBWl0EqlqGoMAAIiIMAoi","accessed":"2026-11-04"},{"id":"cw-f1-2020","title":"CompositesWorld, The untapped potential in Formula 1 composite manufacture (B. Skuse, 22 Jun 2020)","url":"https://www.gardnerweb.com/articles/the-untapped-potential-in-formula-1-composite-manufacture","accessed":"2026-11-04"},{"id":"motorsport-r24-composites","title":"Motorsport.com, R24 project: producing the composites (6 Dec 2003)","url":"https://au.motorsport.com/f1/news/r24-project-producing-the-composites/1090083/","accessed":"2026-11-04","note":"Renault R24 build diary; old, but one of the few team-published ply and shape counts."},{"id":"motorsport-r24-final","title":"Motorsport.com, R24 project: the final stages (2003)","url":"https://au.motorsport.com/f1/news/r24-project-the-final-stages/1090711/","accessed":"2026-11-04"},{"id":"f1chronicle-how-made","title":"F1 Chronicle, How is a Formula 1 car made?","url":"https://f1chronicle.com/how-is-a-formula-1-car-made","accessed":"2026-11-04","note":"Fan-trade explainer; no primary citation for its figures."},{"id":"f1i-production","title":"F1i, Tech: the birth of a Formula 1 car, the production phase","url":"https://f1i.com/magazine/magazine-technical/290512-tech-f1i-birth-formula-1-car-production.html/2","accessed":"2026-11-04"},{"id":"autosport-upgrades","title":"Autosport, How F1 teams actually produce car upgrades in five steps","url":"https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/how-f1-teams-actually-produce-car-upgrades-in-five-steps/10727725/","accessed":"2026-11-04"},{"id":"the-race-rollhoop","title":"The Race, What FIA intends to change after the Zhou F1 rollhoop failure","url":"https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-fia-intends-to-change-after-zhous-f1-rollhoop-failure","accessed":"2026-11-04"},{"id":"f1-tech-tuesday-halo","title":"Formula1.com Tech Tuesday: a close look at the halo","url":"https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/tech-tuesday-a-close-look-at-the-halo-and-how-it-saved-hamiltons-neck-in.68Ajvw12Xza2P3JvuXGRO3","accessed":"2026-11-04"}],"entries":[{"id":"part-path-overview","kind":"process","tier":1,"title":"The carbon part path: pattern, mould, plies, cure, trim, bond","summary":"5-axis mill an epoxy pattern (reported to +/-0.05 mm), lay a carbon mould on it, hand-lay prepreg with laser-guided ply placement, bag, debulk, autoclave, trim, bond, paint, inspect. Model the mould surface side as the true surface and give every part a pull direction.","applies":["carbon part","wing","bodywork","chassis"],"basis":"SRC: F1 Chronicle (+/-0.05 mm, 5-axis epoxy pattern, carbon mould, autoclave), F1i, CompositesWorld 2020 (laser ply placement). EST: debulk, trim, bond, paint, inspect steps and mould-side-as-datum advice; no team spec public.","sources":["f1chronicle-how-made","f1i-production","cw-f1-2020"],"tags":["prepreg","process"],"value":{"value":0.05,"unit":"mm","note":"pattern accuracy, one trade source"}},{"id":"autoclave-window-race","kind":"process","tier":1,"title":"Race part cure window as published: 3-7 bar, about 100-250 C","summary":"Published window for race prepreg: about 100-250 C at 3-7 bar. A Renault R24 chassis first cure ran 3-4 h at up to 180 C and about 100 psi, with 2-3 lower-temperature debulks per skin. Mould and inserts must survive this cycle.","applies":["autoclave","chassis","wing"],"basis":"SRC: printed figures, not a team spec, and vary by resin. Current team cycles are unpublished.","sources":["autosport-upgrades","motorsport-r24-final"],"tags":["cure"],"value":{"table":[{"source":"Autosport","temp_C":"100-250","pressure":"3-7 bar"},{"source":"Renault R24","temp_C":"up to 180","pressure":"about 100 psi","time_h":"3-4"}]},"see":["composites/cure-cycle-8552"]},{"id":"chassis-construction","kind":"process","tier":1,"title":"Survival cell: two moulded halves, skin, core, skin, drilled inserts","summary":"Upper and lower halves are moulded separately: outer skin (150-200 plies on the R24, autoclave-cured first), then core and inner skin. Inserts go in, halves are CNC-drilled in jigs for pick-ups, then bonded together. Model the cell as two shells with a bond flange, not one solid.","applies":["monocoque","survival cell","chassis"],"basis":"SRC: Motorsport.com 2003 (150-200 plies; outer skin cured before core and inner skin; jig drilling; halves bonded); F1 Chronicle says several hundred plies per chassis. EST: two-shell-with-flange advice. Current counts unpublished.","sources":["motorsport-r24-composites","motorsport-r24-final","f1chronicle-how-made"],"tags":["plies","bond"],"value":{"min":150,"max":200,"unit":"count","note":"outer skin plies, Renault R24, 2003"},"see":["composites/potted-insert"]},{"id":"intrusion-laminates","kind":"test","tier":1,"title":"Survival cell homologated intrusion laminates (2026)","summary":"2026 test panels must resist, through a 100x130 mm rigid pad: HL-COCKPIT-SIDE 440 kN, HL-FWD-SC, HL-COCKPIT-FLOOR and HL-FC-SIDE 325 kN. Sandwich panels need Al honeycomb of 6 mm or more and at least 800 gsm CC-UHS per skin. Zone is mainly Z 100-550 on the sides.","applies":["survival cell","anti-intrusion"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C12.3.1, C15.5.3. Recesses and inserts must keep equivalent intrusion strength.","sources":["fia-2026-c21"],"tags":["zylon","homologation"],"value":{"table":[{"laminate":"HL-FWD-SC","load_kN":325,"form":"sandwich"},{"laminate":"HL-COCKPIT-SIDE","load_kN":440},{"laminate":"HL-COCKPIT-FLOOR","load_kN":325},{"laminate":"HL-FC-SIDE","load_kN":325,"form":"sandwich"}]},"see":["materials/composite-cf-epoxy"]},{"id":"cell-static-tests","kind":"test","tier":1,"title":"Survival cell static load tests (2026)","summary":"2026 pads: fuel tank side 110 kN on dia 225; wheel contact 100 kN, 15 mm max; floor 25 kN; cockpit floor 75 kN; rim 50 kN on dia 50, under 10 mm; cockpit side 300 kN, 30 mm max. Permanent set limits 1-3 mm. Local skin must carry these with no failure.","applies":["survival cell","monocoque"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C13.4. C13.4.2-7 run on every cell, within 120% of reference deflection; cell mass within 5%.","sources":["fia-2026-c21"],"tags":["homologation","push-off"],"value":{"table":[{"art":"C13.4.2","test":"fuel tank side","pad_mm":225,"kN":110,"set_mm":3},{"art":"C13.4.3","test":"wheel contact XC -1195","pad_mm":200,"kN":100,"max_mm":15,"set_mm":3},{"art":"C13.4.4","test":"cell floor","pad_mm":200,"kN":25,"set_mm":1},{"art":"C13.4.5","test":"cockpit floor XC -600","pad_mm":200,"kN":75,"set_mm":3},{"art":"C13.4.6","test":"cockpit rim XC -250","pad_mm":50,"kN":50,"max_mm":10,"set_mm":1},{"art":"C13.4.7","test":"cockpit side","pad_mm":225,"kN":300,"max_mm":30},{"art":"C13.4.10","test":"forward cell","kN":30,"max_mm":5}]}},{"id":"impact-tests-dynamic","kind":"test","tier":1,"title":"FIA dynamic impact tests (2026): front, cell, rear","summary":"2026: FIS 900 kg at over 17 and over 14 m/s, peak 40 g, 150 mm must survive. Cell frontal 900-925 kg at 15 m/s or more with 500 kN crush tubes, displacement 425 mm max. Rear 875 kg at 11 m/s or more, 25 g max. Keep inserts and hard parts out of the crush length.","applies":["crash structure","nose","rear impact"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C13.2, C13.6, C13.7. FIS limit curve 13.5/X^1.13 g; rear 15+26.5X g. FIA-F1-DOC-002 is not public.","sources":["fia-2026-c21"],"tags":["crash","fis","ris"],"value":{"table":[{"art":"C13.6.5","test":"FIS test 1","kg":900,"m_s":17,"peak_g":40},{"art":"C13.6.6","test":"FIS test 2, after push-off to failure","kg":900,"m_s":14,"peak_g":40},{"art":"C13.2","test":"cell frontal","kg":"900-925","m_s":15,"note":"peak at least 52 g after T=30 ms"},{"art":"C13.7.3","test":"rear","kg":875,"m_s":11,"peak_g":25}]}},{"id":"fis-section-rule","kind":"rule","tier":1,"title":"Front impact structure sections and attachments (2026)","summary":"2026 FIS: at least 4 equal-strength attachments; sections grow monotonically; at XFIS 50 over 9000 mm2 enclosing 120x65; at XFIS 150 over 20000 mm2; XA -400 to -100 taper 45000 to 60000 mm2; behind XFIS 250 normals within 25 deg of an X-plane.","applies":["nose","crash structure"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C13.6.1. Cell and FIS section hulls within 7 mm at XA 0 (C12.2.2 h).","sources":["fia-2026-c21"],"tags":["section area","nose"],"value":{"table":[{"station":"XFIS 50","min_area_mm2":9000,"encloses":"120 x 65"},{"station":"XFIS 150","min_area_mm2":20000},{"station":"XA -400","min_area_mm2":45000},{"station":"XA -100","min_area_mm2":60000}]}},{"id":"roll-hoop-rule","kind":"rule","tier":1,"title":"Principal roll structure geometry and loads (2026)","summary":"2026 roll hoop: min 6000 mm2 at Z 950, min 10000 mm2 at Z 910 enclosing a 70 mm square; above Z 935 tangent continuous, no concave radius, convex R 20 or more; 60x30 mm strap opening; 172 kN test with under 25 mm deformation; no particulate-reinforced metal.","applies":["roll hoop","airbox"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C12.4.1, C13.3.1, C15.3.4. The 2022 rule was 60/70/105 kN (The Race): do not reuse old loads.","sources":["fia-2026-c21","the-race-rollhoop"],"tags":["strap"],"value":{"table":[{"z":950,"min_area_mm2":6000},{"z":910,"min_area_mm2":10000,"encloses":"70 mm square"},{"item":"convex radius above Z 935","min_mm":20},{"item":"test load","kN":172,"hold_s":10,"max_mm":25}]}},{"id":"halo-mount-rule","kind":"rule","tier":1,"title":"Halo is bought, not designed: mounts and loads (2026)","summary":"The 2026 halo is made to FIA8869-2018 by designated suppliers; model mounts, not the frame. Front fixing axis XC -975, Z 660; rear faces on Z 695. Attachments see 130.1 kN down + 51.6 kN rearward, and 104.5 kN inward + 93.2 kN rearward. Fairings use PL-HALO.","applies":["halo","secondary roll structure"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C12.4.2, C13.3.2. Earlier cases 116/46 and 93/83 kN (Formula1.com). FIA-F1-DOC-115 is not public.","sources":["fia-2026-c21","f1-tech-tuesday-halo"],"tags":["fia8869"],"value":{"table":[{"test":"centreline","down_kN":130.1,"rearward_kN":51.6,"at":"[Xc-785, 0, 830]"},{"test":"lateral","inward_kN":104.5,"rearward_kN":93.2,"at":"[Xc-590, 233.5, 810]"}]}},{"id":"suspension-member-section","kind":"rule","tier":1,"title":"Suspension members: constant symmetric section on the load line (2026)","summary":"2026 members: section normal to the load line has 2 orthogonal axes of symmetry, constant size, shape and incidence, centroid within 5 mm of the line (10 mm on the steering link). Fairings: no dimension over 100 mm, aspect 3.5:1 max. Sweep a constant profile; do not taper it.","applies":["wishbone","push rod","track rod"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C10.3.6, C3.17.3. Minimal exceptions: adjusters, line and tether passage, rod-end attachment, gauges. One rear member per side exempt. Inner wall taper is not addressed.","sources":["fia-2026-c21"],"tags":["wishbone","aerofoil"],"value":{"table":[{"item":"centroid to load line","max_mm":5},{"item":"steering link centroid","max_mm":10},{"item":"fairing section","max_mm":100},{"item":"fairing aspect","max_ratio":3.5}]}},{"id":"wheel-tether-rule","kind":"rule","tier":1,"title":"Wheel tethers and their attachments (2026)","summary":"2026: 3 tethers per wheel to FIA 8864-2022, 15 kJ total, each at least 3 kJ. Each end withstands 70 kN within a 90 deg cone, no bend radius under 7.5 mm, no shared fastener. Two tethers at least 300 mm apart on the cell, 250 mm on the gearbox, 100 mm and 90 deg on the upright.","applies":["tether","upright","wishbone"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C14.4.1. Demand: wishbone section passes the tether; anchors need separate inserts.","sources":["fia-2026-c21"],"tags":["insert","zylon"],"value":{"table":[{"item":"attachment load","kN":70},{"item":"bend radius","min_mm":7.5},{"item":"spacing on cell","min_mm":300},{"item":"spacing on gearbox","min_mm":250},{"item":"spacing on upright","min_mm":100,"min_deg":90},{"item":"tethers in one member","max_count":2}]}},{"id":"brake-size-rule","kind":"rule","tier":1,"title":"Brake disc, calliper and cooling limits (2026)","summary":"2026 discs: 34 mm max thick; dia 325-345 front, 260-280 rear; cooling holes dia 2.5 or more. Callipers: aluminium, at most 3 attachments, 1 to 4 opposing piston pairs, circular pistons. No liquid cooling. Discs, pads and callipers are OSC, so bought in.","applies":["brake disc","brake calliper"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C11.2, C11.3, C11.7. Earlier years were 278 mm and 32 mm (Formula1.com).","sources":["fia-2026-c21","f1-tech-tuesday-brakes"],"tags":["cooling hole"],"value":{"table":[{"item":"disc thickness","max_mm":34},{"item":"front disc dia","min_mm":325,"max_mm":345},{"item":"rear disc dia","min_mm":260,"max_mm":280},{"item":"cooling hole dia","min_mm":2.5},{"item":"calliper attachments","max_count":3},{"item":"piston pairs","max_count":4}]}},{"id":"materials-limits","kind":"material","tier":1,"title":"What F1 parts may be made of (2026)","summary":"2026 metal limit: specific modulus 40 GPa/(g/cm3) max. Carbon: PAN, modulus 550 GPa max, strength 7100 MPa max, density 1.92 max. Be, Li and exotic alloys restricted. Commercially available materials only, declared each year.","applies":["material choice","homologation"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C15.1.4, C15.2. Closed lists: an unnamed material is not allowed. Coatings max 0.8 mm (C15.4 h).","sources":["fia-2026-c21"],"tags":["regulation","c15"],"value":{"table":[{"item":"metal specific modulus","max":"40 GPa/(g/cm3)"},{"item":"carbon tensile modulus","max_GPa":550},{"item":"carbon tensile strength","max_MPa":7100},{"item":"wrought Al Li, ex 2050/55/99","max_pct":1},{"item":"copper beryllium","max_pct":2.5}]}},{"id":"uprights-materials","kind":"material","tier":1,"title":"Uprights: the only allowed alloys (2026)","summary":"2026 uprights only: wrought 2014, 2618, 7075 or 7022 aluminium, wrought or cast permitted titanium, listed Al MMC, or additive Ti or Al. Parts inboard of YW 0 stay inside an R25 sphere round each pick-up. One upright per wheel.","applies":["upright","hub carrier"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C15.3.3, C10.6.","sources":["fia-2026-c21"],"tags":["aluminium","titanium"],"value":{"options":["2014","2618","7075","7022","listed Ti","SupremEX 225","AM Ti","AM Al"]},"see":["materials/al-7075-t6","materials/ti-6al-4v"]},{"id":"calc-criterion","kind":"rule","tier":1,"title":"Where calculation stands in for a test: reserve factor 1.0 (2026)","summary":"Regulation calculations use reserve factor 1.0 at ultimate for metals and first-ply failure for composites (2026). Design laminates to first-ply, not last-ply. Examples: cockpit side 380 kN, nose 110 kN, frontal bulkhead 215 kN. FIA may ask for models.","applies":["survival cell","fea"],"basis":"SRC: FIA 2026 Section C Iss 21 C12.1.3, C12.3.2, C13.4.7, C13.4.8. Report cad_fea_case and cad_laminate results against this.","sources":["fia-2026-c21"],"tags":["first ply failure","fea"],"value":{"value":1,"unit":"ratio","note":"reserve factor at ultimate for metals, at first-ply failure for composites"},"see":["composites/first-vs-last-ply"]}]}