Inside F1 Innovation: Renault’s Additive Manufacturing Lead Pat Warner Shares 19 Years of Evolution

Pat Warner serves as the Additive Manufacturing (ADM) Manager for the Renault Sport Formula One Team. With a career spanning more than 19 years in F1, he has steered the team’s transition from early prototyping to full‑scale production of high‑performance printed components.

AMFG: How did you originally become involved in additive manufacturing?
Pat: I started as a CNC machinist with the Benetton Formula Team and moved into the CAM department in 1997. We purchased our first SLA machine in 1998, but initially had no clear application for it. By 2000 we had identified enough use cases to place the SLA machine in production for two new car models, and in 2002 we added two more units. In 2003 we introduced laser sintering to the department, which has since expanded to a nine‑machine suite.

AMFG: What have been some of the greatest AM success stories you’ve witnessed during your time at Renault?
Pat: We prototype every new component, assemble it for function and fit, allowing rapid identification of design flaws. The cramped packaging of an F1 car makes this especially valuable.

We produce our own investment‑casting patterns for structural titanium parts, such as the gearbox casing. The precision we’ve achieved has led our foundry partner to request pattern purchases from us, even though we currently manufacture only for the team.

In unrestricted wind‑tunnel sessions, we generated over 600 parts per week to support testing. Achieving the same throughput with conventional methods would have required a far larger manufacturing footprint.

Rapid jigs and fixtures enable on‑track modifications. When a flaw is discovered on Friday, we fabricate replacement items and deliver them in time for qualifying—an operation that has been repeated many times.

Admittedly, there have been missteps, but each has accelerated our learning curve.

AMFG: What are the key challenges you have experienced when it comes to AM as a tool for both prototyping and production?
Pat: Early on, part longevity was a major concern. SLA materials were fragile and absorbed moisture, causing distortion after only a week. Subsequent material development has largely resolved these issues.

Consistent quality from external suppliers was another hurdle. Even identical builds sometimes produced different parts, prompting us to bring more processes in‑house. In 2004 we partnered with Boeing, a collaboration that spurred material innovation tailored to our needs. These materials are now commercially available and meet FIA regulatory requirements.

Education remains a challenge. Despite the technology’s maturity, many new designers lack exposure to additive manufacturing, which slows adoption.

AMFG: What new innovations would you most like to see in terms of both printing platforms and materials?
Pat: While significant progress has been made, we still need tighter process control to achieve consistent, high‑quality results. Variability often stems from both equipment and supplier practices. Equally important are advances in design tools that can accurately predict the strength, stiffness, and failure modes of lattice‑structured components—structures that promise weight savings but are difficult to analyze.

AMFG: How do you see the use of AM evolving within F1 in the next few years?
Pat: The toolbox continues to grow, expanding applications across the team. Metals and high‑temperature polymers are advancing rapidly; as we gain deeper insight into their properties, AM parts will become more integral to performance and cost optimisation. The influx of investment and research funding makes this an exciting era for additive manufacturing, positioning it to eventually challenge conventional manufacturing paradigms.

www.renaultsport.com