This year’s Professional MotorSport World Expo in Cologne proved to be a hugely successful one, with more than 200 exhibitors from across the sport welcoming the huge turnout of industry professionals gearing up for the 2025 racing season.
Here are some of the highlights from the show floor:
ASP Seat spotlights advanced cooling technology for race seats
ASP Seat showed off its latest race seat cooling solution, which was used by 50 per cent of the FIA WEC’s Hypercar drivers in the 2024 season.
“PMW Expo is a great platform to showcase our cooling race seat,” said booth organiser Fiona Rees.
“We have the Le Mans 24 hour winning seat on display with its integrated cooling system for visitors to see. The show is the right audience for bringing this new product for people to interact with.”
ASP’s customer base is growing fast, with drivers across the Formula E, 2, 3 and 4, as well as FRECA and the ELMS paddocks now using its lightweight, custom inserts.
Elmer Racing presents custom OEM high-performance Thor engine
Elmer Racing showcased its new custom Thor engine during the Expo.
The multiple world time attack championship-winner developed and manufactured the new engine in just eight months. At a low cost, it offers the highest power/mass ratio of any circuit-racing OEM engine.
“We’re trying to market some new technologies and this is one of the few events that we know it’s beneficial to be at, to showcase our new tech,” said the company’s manufacturing project manager, Axel Elmgren.
Additure unveils development and capability to offer the new CP1 aluminium alloy in the SLM280 and SLM500 platforms.
Additure – an accredited manufacturing solution provider using laser powder bed fusion – enjoyed plenty of stand visits throughout the show.
The UK-based company supports its clients with in-house capabilities for delivering complex manufacturing solutions via laser powder bed fusion, depowdering, material testing and machining.
The company’s senior AM applications engineer, Richard Woods, was thrilled with the response from show visitors.
“It’s busy, it’s good,” he said. “We’re getting lots of interest. There’s a wide variety of different companies within motorsport, showcasing the many different aspects of motorsport.”
MyMOMO racing suit launched
Tailored to meet the unique needs of each driver, the new MyMOMO FIA homologated race suit made its debut at PMW.
This suit offers total personalization, allowing any graphic, logo or image to be printed seamlessly onto the fabric. Their cutting-edge printing technology enables teams and sponsors to fully brand the suit without limitations.
The company’s chief marketing officer, Matteo Glanotti, is glad Momo chose to exhibit at the show: “We researched which event would be the best place to showcase our new FIA-compliant products, and PMW is the best event in Europe to increase our presence in the industry.”
Garrett presents bespoke motorsport-specific turbochargers
Garrett supplies advanced and differentiated technologies for emission reduction and energy efficiency. With a nearly 70-year legacy, it serves customers worldwide with passenger vehicle, commercial vehicle, aftermarket replacement and performance enhancement solutions.
“PMW Expo is a great place for us to come and display our wide variety of turbos, ranging from lower-level racing up to the top end of professional motorsport,” said Mark Norton, the company’s engineering director.
Allengra showcases ultrasonic flow-metering technology
Allengra, a supplier to the FIA WEC, was on hand to show off its ultrasonic flowmeters.
Its flowmeters are designed, tested and homologated to suit precise measurement, performance enhancement and future-oriented development for all teams and manufacturers in motorsports.
“The gap between motorsport and high-performance automotive is so slim now, so it’s great to see so many different domains and areas within motorsport all under one roof,” said Niels Junker, Allengra’s commercial director.
Allengra is also a single supplier of mandatory fuel flow meters for the WorldSBK, and the newly selected sole supplier of the 2026-2030 fuel flow meter for Formula 1.
2025 show dates revealed as PMW undergoes rebrand
The dates for next year’s show have been revealed. The 2025 PMW Expo is set to take place at the Köln Messe on November 12th and 13th. So save the dates!
PMW has also undergone a rebrand for 2025. The change is subtle but intended to better reflect the nature of the motorsport and high-performance automotive engineering sectors in the 2020s.
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR 2025 HERE!
Industry standouts recognised in PMW Awards
The 2024 PMW Awards saw a strong field of entries from across the gamut of motorsport suppliers.
Held annually at the Expo, the awards are judged live at the show and recognize excellence in the motorsport supply chain.
With nominations ranging from innovative data and electronics solutions to cutting-edge safety equipment and advanced powertrain technologies, the judging panel had its work cut out deciding on winners.
With a panel comprising experts in motorsport and automotive engineering, from former Le Mans-winning race car designers to Formula 1 and rallying engineers, the judging process is rigorously impartial.
Category winners:
Data and Electronics Solution of the Year – Winner: Marelli Motorsport
Marelli Motorsport launched its VEC_480 at the expo. Combining vehicle and engine control units with an ‘AI Accelerator’ (NPU) with a computing capacity of up to 26 TOPS, Marelli has brought the power of artificial intelligence to an onboard control unit.
In effect an edge computing system incorporated into a VCU, one judge said of the AI-based ECU, “They have created a tool for engineers that they didn’t know they needed, but now it exists, the possibilities it opens up for vehicle control are almost endless.”
Powertrain Technology of the Year – Winner: Cosworth
Cosworth’s entry, the Antares 4/6 series ECUs impressed the judges with their comprehensive capabilities at a more accessible price level than the preceding Antares 8 unit. The Antares 4 and 6 ECUs retain all the control capabilities of the Antares family.
Both ECUs can support a range of powertrain technologies – including IC engines, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and BEVs. Along with these control capabilities, Antares 4 and 6 also offer high-rate synchronized datalogging for precision and reliability.
The new units also come equipped with control features such as multi-pulse and stratified GDI control, active torque management and FIA-compliant real-time PPU and BOP control.
Chassis Technology of the Year, Mechanical – Winner: NS85
NS85’s Oblivion Brake Systems impressed with its integration of top-level motorsport braking technology into a package intended for high-performance automotive use. Drawing on its extensive experience in motorsport, NS85 has deployed techniques and technologies that were previously the preserve of F1 braking systems.
Chassis Technology of the Year, Bodywork and Aerodynamics – Winner: BComp
BComp’s entry, the bio-composite-based bodywork it produced for NASCAR’s BEV prototype, was lauded for its contribution to pushing truly sustainable technology in motorsport. According to the company, which picked up this award for the second year in a row, its flax-based composite design reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 85% compared to carbon fibre and enhances crash safety without sharp splintering.
Safety Innovation of the Year – Winner: Shiftec
Shiftec’s Stand Alone Emergency Clutch Release system provides a means for marshals or competitors to automatically disengage the clutch of a competition vehicle. The judges flagged the benefits of the standalone nature of the device – it requires no external power source, neither electrical or pneumatic, to operate. As a result, it greatly eases the recovery or immobilization of a crashed or stranded vehicle trackside, regardless of the state of the powertrain.
Pit and Support Equipment of the Year – Winner: CP Tech
The final category award went to CP Tech for its SetupWizzard Pro. This system integrates all of the functionality needed for setting wheel and suspension alignment within a compact and integrated package, enabling easy transportation from track to track and quick vehicle setup. The system incorporates wheel load scales, laser measurement of track angle, camber sensors and ride height measurement.
Overall Engineering Innovation of the Year – Winner: Marelli Motorsport
Judged from the individual category winners, the Overall Engineering Innovation award is presented to the highest-scoring product. Marelli Motorsport secured the award this year by some margin, highlighting the impressive levels of innovation in its VEC_480 ECU.
Images courtesy of PMW & ASP Seats
