ZF Race Engineering GmbH - EN - 2013

ZF Race Engineering GmbH

Ernst-Sachs-Str. 62
97424 Schweinfurt
Germany
E-Mail: service.zre@zf.com
Phone +49 9721 98-4300
Fax +49 9721 98-4299
www.zf.com/motorsports

THE BEST
FOR THE BEST.
ZF RACE ENGINEERING GmbH

For more information:

www.zf.com/motorsports

Contents
Performance Counts, Passion Wins:
ZF Race Engineering GmbH

Page 4

Success is our Sport:

Winning is the Goal

Page 6

High Tech for High Speed:

The ZF Motorsports Portfolio

Page 8

The Team is the Star:

ZF as Technology Partner

Page 10

Close to the Scene:

On-Site Service

Page 11

Experience Motorsports Live:

ZF Race Reporters Inform

Page 12

Research and Development

Page 14

The ZF Group

Page 15

As one of the worldwide leading

suppliers of the automotive
industry, ZF Friedrichshafen AG is
also committed to motorsports.
The ZF Race Engineering subsidiary
develops, produces, and distributes
ZF core products in the field of
driveline and chassis technology
particularly for race car applications.
From Formula 1, WRC, and DTM
to amateur race series and tuning
vehicles, renowned motorsports
teams rely on innovative technology
and first-class service by ZF.
Spectacular sports successes document the technical competence
and reliability of ZF products along
the lines of: The best for the best.

Performance Counts, Passion Wins:

ZF Race Engineering GmbH

www.zf.com/motorsports
www.zf.com/pkw

Since the foundation of ZF, components, shock absorbers, and clutches have been used
in volume production and motorsports vehicles. Both areas have been and will stay inse
parably connected with success. This holds true for the legendary Silver Arrows by Mercedes of the 1930s as well as for the Formula 1 cars of today, for long distance and round
track racing events as well as for national and international rally racing championships.

is in charge of the complete process - from the technical specification, that is developed together with
the customer, and the implementation of all required process steps to the completed product including
on-site service.

ZF motorsports developments
ZF is an innovation-driven company that develops
volume production-ready products based on its own

Flexibility and experts

butes motorsports clutches and shock absorbers for

New materials, technology, and know-how are just

top-class sports and national racing series as well as

one side of the coin, to control them is the other

for renowned automotive manufacturers, tuners,

side. Especially when top performance is required

and specialist vehicle retailers.

research and development efforts and thus invests in

the future in a targeted way. This also applies to
motorsports. ZF Race Engineerings development
objectives for all product segments encompass installation space optimization, weight reduction, and

like in motorsports. For this purpose, experts are

performance enhancement. We distinguish oursel-

needed. Experienced employees who cooperate in

One face to the customer

small teams, find solutions, and implement them.

Approximately 85 employees work at ZF Race Engi-

This requires a flexible company. The logical next

neering GmbH in Schweinfurt and deal exclusively

step was to establish the ZF Race Engineering

with motorsports issues. Individual support is their

GmbH. Operating on an international level, ZF Race

mission, the customers wishes are in focus. One

Engineering develops, designs, produces, and distri-

face to the customer is the philosophy. An employee

ves from our competitors thanks to OE standards,

FMEA, project transfer and process management,
and the know-how from ZF Friedrichshafen AGs
volume production business.

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1895

1910

1915

1937

1964

1966

1985 / 86

1993

1998

1999 2004

2007

2009

2011

2012

2012

2013

Success is our Sport:

Winning is the Goal

Be it Formula 1 or 24 Hours of Le Mans, DTM or European Truck Racing

Championship and further international racing series like Super GT or
V8 Supercars, ZFs shock absorbers and clutches contribute to achieving
the decisive head start. We congratulate the teams supported by us on
their outstanding successes.

www.zf.com/pkw
www.zf.com/motorsports

WEC/24 Hours of Le Mans

World Rally Championship (WRC)

The three Audi R18 e-tron quattro, each equipped

ZF partner Volkswagen Motorsport started in

with a clutch and steering system from ZF, crossed

with the Polo R WRC for the first time in the World

the finish line in the first three places. The two

Rally Championship in 2013. The team from

vehicles of ZF technology partner Toyota Racing

Hanover drove straightaway to a sensational world

drove to places four and five and completed the

championship title in the drivers and constructors

impressive overall results for ZF. 14 times in the

championship. Clutches and dampers from ZF were

last 15 years the overall winner used ZF products.

developed specifically for the Polo R WRC and

helped to achieve this fantastic result.

Formula 1

victories as highly sought-after supplier. In the most

In the royal league of motorsports, the racing cars

popular, international touring car racing series, the

of Scuderia Ferrari the most successful team in

three premium manufacturers Audi, BMW, and

Formula 1 history as well as the vehicles of Sauber

Mercedes-Benz have relied on clutch systems by

Ferrari, Lotus and Toro Rosso drive with shock

ZF. Their characteristics are: high-quality materials,

absorbers and clutches from ZF.

great reliability, extensive durability. In the 2013

season, ZFs partner BMW won the manufacturer

DTM

ranking, followed by Audi. Mercedes-Benz was

In the past, ZF Race Engineering already contribu

ranked third. Mike Rockenfeller from the Audi

ted to many individual DTM race victories and title

team won the drivers ranking as DTM champion.

24 hours at Nrburgring
Six vehicles from the top ten overall trusted in pro-

FIA European Truck Racing Championship

ducts from ZF Race Engineering in the 24 hours

Jochen Hahn and his MAN team managed the title

at the Nrburgring. A BMW Z4 GT3 of ZF partner

hattrick and won the 2013 European Truck Racing

BMW Motorsports ranked best and achieved the

Championship. The MAN truck of the Castrol Team

2nd place in the overall ranking.

Hahn Racing had a ZF-Ecosplit 3 transmission and

a ZF clutch on board.

High Tech for High Speed:

The ZF Motorsports Portfolio

www.zf.com/motorsports

5 Performance Clutches
For performance-enhanced vehicles
Clutch pressure plates with higher
contact pressure
Special clutch disks with different
friction linings for higher, transferable
engine torques in combination with
special clutch pressure plates
Can be assembled without any
modification

Again and again, professionals in motorsports all over the world celebrate their
successes thanks to ZF products and rely on our technological expertise. Our
products offer excellent connection and installation options, optimal functions,
and a long service live perfectly designed for applications at the technical limit.

9 Formula Student
Linear shock absorbers
Adjustable (2-fold)
Compensation reservoir,
separate or integrated

7 LMP Shock Absorbers

Linear shock absorbers
Conventional or through-rod
Adjustable (4-fold or 2-fold)
7

3 Racing Clutch System (RCS),

140 mm
Forged aluminum housing with
increased housing stiffness and
therefore improved responsiveness of the clutch
Reduced weight and improved
heat dissipation thanks to special
rib design
Available as sinter and carbon
clutch
1 DTM Clutch with Clutch Release System
Clutch with release system, especially
developed according to the DTM regulations
Carbon clutch with 4 disks with friction disk
diameter of 140 mm
Designed in particular for high energy influx
during the race start
2 Formula 1 Clutch
Special clutch developed according to
customer requirements
Applicable for speeds of up to
22,000 revolutions per minute
Transferable torque > 800 Nm
Outside diameter of 111 mm
Friction material: carbon
Clutch housing: high-strength titanium

4 Clutch Integrated Release

System (CIRS)
Clutch without axial force
(no axial force on crankshaft)
Reduction of resiliences and
therefore more precise responsiveness of the clutch
Drawn clutch design, reduces
weight and increases the transferable torque of the clutch

10

6 F1 Shock Absorbers
Linear shock absorbers
Conventional or through-rod
Adjustable or non-adjustable

8 Rally Shock Absorbers

Linear shock absorbers
Suspension strut or axle shock absorbers
Adjustable (4-fold or 3-fold)

10 Thread Travel
Linear shock absorbers
Suspension struts and axle
shock absorbers
Adjustable and non-adjustable

The Team is the Star:

ZF as Technology Partner

Close to the Scene:

On-Site Service

ZF Race Engineering GmbH is the technology partner of many renowned

motorsports teams, from Formula 1 and DTM to different brand cups and the
most important premium vehicle manufacturers. ZF maintains a particularly
close cooperation with some teams in order to develop products for special
applications. ZF has supported the teams of the international Formula Student
competition for many years in order to support talented new engineers.

Excellent support this is the requirement of ZF Race Engineering GmbH.

However, it is not limited to technological developments. Thanks to the
extensive support system, ZF motorsports technicians are available around
the globe.

BMW Motorsports

Super GT

Since 2002 already, ZF Race Engineering has been

In 2013 ZF has started a partnership as Official

a technical partner of BMW Motorsports. In racing

Supplier of Super GT, the most popular touring car

series such as DTM or in endurance races as the

racing series in Asia. Starting in 2014 the cars in

24h of Nrburgring, BMW relies on technology

the GT500 class exclusively rely on clutches made

from Schweinfurt.

in Schweinfurt.

Porsche

Volkswagen Motorsports

ZF Race Engineering is also on board of Porsche

Since 2003 ZF Race Engineering has been official

Motorsports, as official supplier of the Porsche

motorsports partner of Volkswagen. ZF has develo-

Carrera Cups in Germany, Japan, and Asia as well

ped the shock absorbers and the clutch for the Polo

as of the Porsche GT activities in the US and the

R WRC in the Rallye World Championship. Further-

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. All international cup

more, ZF equips all vehicles of the Scirocco R Cup

vehicles use shock absorbers and clutches from

with shock absorbers.

Comprehensive service at the race track

tries on four continents. This extensive service signi-

ZF Race Engineering is using two vans with modern

ficantly contributes to the many worldwide victories

shock absorber test benches. A workshop area ma-

supported by ZF.

kes it possible to implement specific requirements.

Here, shock absorbers can be re-calibrated, repairs

Warranty and guarantee

can be performed immediately, clutches can be che-

In case of questions, complaints, warranty, or gua-

cked and examined, and even complete vehicle ad-

rantee, our service and consultancy team will gladly

justments can be developed.

support you anytime.

Quality assurance at every race

During the race season, ZF Race Engineering supports its customers at motorsports events in 24 coun-

Schweinfurt.

DTM
Toyota Motorsports

Since 2012 the three premium brands Audi,

As of the 2013 season, ZF has started a technical

BMW, and Mercedes-Benz rely exclusively on

partnership with TOYOTA Racing in the FIA World

clutch systems by ZF in their DTM cars.

Endurance Championship (WEC) and is developing

high performance components for the 24h of Le
Mans.

10

11

Experience Motorsports Live:

ZF Race Reporters Inform

The ZF Race Reporter project focuses on the motorsports fans. As part of

the sponsoring commitment for the DTM, the 24 hours race, and the truck
grand prix at the Nrburgring, a ZF Race Reporter is selected who shows interesting insights in form of video clips.

www.zf.com/motorsports

Whereas the motorsports expert leads through the

Super GT have the chance to act as ZF Race reporter

clips of the complete season, the ZF Race Reporter

behind the scenes of this very popular racing series

is a real fan and will be selected individually for

in Japan. In 2014, the ZF Race reporter campaign

each race. Everybody can apply for being a ZF Race

will be extended in the U.S. motorsports.

Reporter; passion for motorsports is the only thing

that counts. Two weeks before the race at the latest,
the ZF jury selects the applicant with the most creative, most interesting, and most exciting question.

Lights, camera, action!

The ZF Race Reporter is at the race track on

Together with a motorsports expert, the ZF Race Re-

Saturdays for the qualifying and on Sundays for

porter examines the events behind the scene of Ger-

the actual race and captures his/her impressions

man motorsports for one weekend and shoots brief

in video clips which will be available right after

video clips documenting the life at the race track.

the race weekend at zf.com/motorsports.

has the opportunity to ask questions he/she and the

insights behind the scene of motorsports.

After the last race of the season, the Best ZF Race

insights that normally only racing team members get.

Not only drivers, but also team members and other

Reporter of the Year is selected. The winner and

interviewees convey the fascination of motorsports,

a participant in the voting process will be rewarded

show what really makes a difference backstage, and

with an attractive prize.

The clips contents are close to the fans and enable

answer a very special question the motorsports fan

had always been dying to ask.

12

The central idea behind the ZF Race Reporter concept

is not to focus on the racing event as such, but on the
fan and on answering his/her questions. The reporter
fans have always been interested in and to gain some
The ZF Race Reporter thus supplements the official
reporting that focuses on the races and results.
As part of the internationalization of ZFs motorsport activities, since 2013 the fans of the Japanese

13

The ZF Group

www.zf.com/corporatereport

Shaping the future responsibly

Our enthusiasm for innovative products and processes and our uncompromising pursuit
ofquality have made us a global leader in driveline and chassis technology. We are contrib
uting towards a sustainable future by producing advanced technology solutions with the
goal of improving mobility, increasing the efficiency of our products and systems, and
conserving resources.
Our customers in the automotive and industrial sectors welcome our determined focus
on products and services, which provide great customer value. Improvements in energy
efficiency, cost-effectiveness, dynamics, safety, and comfort are key to our work. Simultaneously, we are aiming for continuous improvement in our business processes and the services
we provide. As a globally active company, we react quickly and flexibly to changing regional
market demands with the goal of always providing a competitive price/performance ratio.
Our independence and financial security form the basis of our long-term business success.
Our profitability allows us to make the necessary investments in new products, technologies,
and markets, thus securing the future of our company on behalf of our customers, market
affiliates, employees, and the owners of ZF.
Our tradition and values strengthen our managerial decisions. Together, they are both an
obligation and an incentive to maintain a reliable and respectful relationship with customers,
market affiliates, and employees. Our worldwide compliance organization ensures that locally
applicable laws and regulations are adhered to. We accept our responsibility towards society
and will protect the environment at all of our locations.
Our employees worldwide recognize us as a fair employer, focusing on the future and offering attractive career prospects. We value the varied cultural backgrounds of our employees,
their competencies, and their diligence and motivation. Their goal-oriented dedication to
ZF, beyond the borders of their own field of work and location, shapes our company culture
and is the key to our success.

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