Fast Track to Success

Sustainability and reliability are as important in motorsport as they are in manufacturing industry. In all walks of engineering there is the pressing need for top performing maintenance products that enhance productivity and save costs but not at the expense of worker safety or environmental responsibility. In its choice of LOCTITE, Porsche has struck the perfect balance and it’s a partnership that is intent on delivering, in each race, the best possible performance in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

This championship competition carries high levels of prestige as the globe’s most disruptive all-electric motorsport series. With a strong legacy of performance, innovation, reliability and sustainability, LOCTITE is the Official Adhesives Partner for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, offering premium professional products and extensive technical expertise on the Porsche 99X Electric, the company’s first all-electric racing car.

As most can imagine, there is no margin for failure when providing adhesives for a project of this nature. The Porsche brand will not tolerate damage to its reputation, while a top speed of 280 km/h means safety and reliability are paramount across 16 ‘E-Prix’ races around the world. Furthermore, sustainable development is a key element of the ‘Porsche Strategy 2030’, in line with which, the company looks to avoid and reduce carbon emissions across its entire value chain.

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the most sustainable motorsport series in the world, actively promotes electric mobility and innovative mobility solutions that contribute to reducing air pollution and fighting climate change. Both Henkel and Porsche have set themselves the goal to drive progress towards a sustainable future.

By using the structural adhesive products in particular, Porsche avoids the need for traditional mechanical joining methods like fastening or welding, reducing electricity consumption and carbon emissions through the elimination of hole-drilling and edgepreparation processes. Test rigs for engines and gearboxes also benefit from high-performance LOCTITE solutions.

Among the application examples is the powertrain. The importance of the powertrain to race success is paramount, so LOCTITE 243 medium-strength threadlocker has a key part to play. All of the connecting stud bolts between the vehicle chassis, engine, transmission and final drive are subject to great stress, since the drivetrain is a load-bearing part of any race car. Securing the bolts with LOCTITE 243 prevents loosening and failures, which not only lead to uncontrollable race-car behaviour, but place the driver in life-threatening situations. At the same time, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team engineers can disassemble the bolts using hand tools whenever required for upgrades, maintenance or repair. The majority of the LOCTITE products in use at the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team suit both OEM build and maintenance/repair applications.

Ultimately, the partnership illustrates many shared brand values, not least innovation, reliability, environmental responsibility and product sustainability. The partnership also strengthens the knowledge base of both companies. In order to be successful in such a highly competitive racing series as the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team needs strong partners that share its commitment and vision for the future of motorsport.

Despite all of the good intentions, only results on the track will determine success, although the partnership is already delivering on that ambition. The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team notched up its first win in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the Mexico City E-Prix in February 2022. The team’s drivers, Pascal Wehrlein and André Lotterer finished first and second respectively, making it a true banner day for Porsche.