The invention relates to a plain bearing composite material comprising a steel carrier layer and a bearing coating which is applied to the carrier layer in such a way that it cannot be removed and consists of lead-free aluminium bearing alloy consisting of between 4.4 and 6 wt. % of zinc, between 2.5 and 6 wt % of bismuth, between 1 and 2 wt. % of silicon, between 0.8 and 1.2 wt. % of copper and between 0.2 and 0.8 wt. % of magnesium, optionally a maximum of 0.2 wt. % each of titanium, nickel, manganese, and tin, optionally a maximum of 0.6 wt. % of iron, and also optionally respectively a maximum of 0.1 wt. % of impurity related additives, the total quantity thereof not amounting to more than 1 wt. % of the sum of the constituents. The aluminium bearing alloy forms an aluminium solid solution supersaturated with zinc, said zinc being finely distributed by solution annealing and subsequent chilling.