SKF wheel bearings used by all major F1 teams

SKF says it is now the market leader in the supply of wheel bearings for Formula One racing cars. SKF focused on the F1 wheel bearing business as a key growth area and, as a result, is now supplying to all the major manufacturers on the grid.

Driven by the drastic cost-cutting measures initiated by the Federation Internationale de L'Automobile (FIA) to help F1 teams through the world's financial crisis and, equally, by the prospect of revenues from sponsors declining, the racing world began to adopt a more sustainable approach to spending in recent years. This has led customers within the industry to focus heavily on reducing costs, but the challenge has been to maintain or even increase the technical performance of component parts.

SKF's strong knowledge, global technical support and product range means that it can satisfy the needs of customers, in terms of cost and performance, even under the particularly challenging market conditions. The company has taken advantage of the changing market, seized the business opportunity, and increased its presence over competing manufacturers. Perhaps most importantly, SKF is now working closely with racing organisations across the world to understand fully the exact requirements of each customer, focusing extensively on the design and development of new technologies and advanced technical support.

With nearly a century of experience in motorsport, SKF offers a broad range of lightweight products with superior technical performance, at particularly competitive prices. As well as being tested in laboratories and developmental environments, SKF's proven technologies are also trialled in actual operating conditions, such as on the F1 circuit, to ensure maximum reliability and quality. The added value of its dedicated local technical support and enhanced service has ultimately improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.