Most Formula 1 fans may not give much thought to the painted lines on the tracks, unless they see their favorite driver pushing the limits. But behind the scenes, a massive effort goes into ensuring that all the lines are laid down correctly and the runoff areas have the right designs before a Grand Prix weekend. Even with the use of FIA-homologated paint, traditional tools like brushes, string, and masking tape are still relied upon to maintain sharp edges.
Matt Amys recently joined Roadgrip, the top line-marking contractor for international motorsport, during the preparations for the Belgian Grand Prix. Oli Middleton from Roadgrip mentioned to Amys that with Spa being seven kilometers long, a significant amount of linear meterage is required. The track alone needs 14,000 meters of white lines for the edge lines, grid, and pit lane markings. That’s equivalent to 8.7 miles of white lines!
The introduction of AI for track limit monitoring has added a new challenge to the painting process. A light blue line now needs to be painted just behind the typical track boundary to help the software differentiate between valid driving and violations on the camera feed. However, there can be disagreements between race organizers and officials regarding the track’s aesthetic appearance.
For instance, at the Belgian Grand Prix, Roadgrip is provided with designs for the runoff areas. Spa-Francorchamps opts for a striped red-yellow design that complements the black pavement and reflects Belgium’s tricolor national flag. Roadgrip uses Samoline’s Antislip paint, which not only minimizes traction loss for cars in rainy conditions but also poses challenges during application due to its abrasive nature. The grit in the paint can clog air-mix sprayers, requiring constant maintenance to ensure a smooth application process. In addition to compressed air machines, string and masking tape are used by the contractor to maintain straight lines.
So, the next time a driver like Lando Norris receives a warning for exceeding track limits, fans can be assured that the paint on the track has been applied with precision, if not more so than the racing line taken by the McLaren driver.