Motorsport Student  Event – ‘sold out’ in two days

Records have already been smashed as teams from around the world prepare for Formula Student, Europe’s biggest student motorsport event, now regarded as recruiting ground for F1’s rising stars.

Registration ‘sold out’ in under 48 hours, a first for the international event, held at the UK’s famous Silverstone Racing Circuit, on 10-13 July 2008 and run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).

This year there are also a record number of teams taking part at the event, also home to the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), with 108 entries from 85 universities in 21 different countries – from Scotland to Hertfordshire and from Germany to America.

FS is the only event of its kind in the world which challenges the next generation of engineers to drive a single-seater racing car they have designed and built from scratch. Run by the IMechE to help crack the skills shortage in engineering, FS is also considered essential training by industry experts for a career in F1 or motorsport. The patron of FS is Ross Brawn, engineering guru and Honda F1 Team Principal.

Gary Savage, Operations Director at Honda F1 which is a partner in the event, said: ‘’We are always looking for our next generation of young engineers and young designers so we have an ulterior motive being involved in Formula Student. In fact, 20 of our best young engineers have all taken part in FS.”

Young engineers around the country are already working on their cars, hoping to become the first UK team to ever win FS. There are 40 UK teams entered, the most ever.

Jon Hilton, FS Chief Judge and former F1 Technical Director for Renault, said: ‘’The cars at FS improve every year, but so does the competition and skill level. This could be the year for a UK team to finally win, but with so many good teams from overseas the odds are not getting any better.’’

This year will also be the first time that eco-race cars, such as hydrogen and hybrid powered cars, will take part in the event’s 11 year history. There will be two hybrid cars (Oxford Brookes University and Coventry University), a hydrogen car (Hertfordshire University) and a low carbon car (ETH Zurich in Switzerland) that will be put to the test in the new Low Carbon category.

Dr Howard Ash, Hertfordshire University Lecturer, said: ‘‘Formula Student is the only event in the world where my students can design and build race cars powered by hydrogen and fuel to run at Silverstone. This is cutting edge, innovative and essential in developing skilled engineers.’’

FS cars undergo a series of dynamic tests at Silverstone such as acceleration, sprint, skid-pad and endurance. Students are also tested on design, presentation and cost assessment elements. There are five categories that teams can enter: Class 1, for cars designed and built from scratch; Class 1 (200) for previous FS with modifications; Low Carbon Class, alternative fueled cars designed and built from scratch; Class 2 & 3, design entries only.

FS UK Teams:

Northern

Newcastle University – Class 3

University of Sunderland – Class 1 (200)

North West

Manchester Metropolitan University – Class 1

University of Liverpool – Class 1

University of Manchester – Class 1

West Midlands

University of Birmingham – Class 1

University of Leeds – Class 1

Coventry University – Low Carbon Car, Class 1 Car

University of Warwick – Class 1

Aston University – Class 1

East Midlands

Loughborough University

UCLAN

University of Nottingham – Class 1 Car, Class 1 (200)

Lancaster University

Home-Counties

Oxford Brookes University – Low Carbon Car and Class 1 Car

University of Hertfordshire – Low Carbon Car, Class 1 Car, Class 1 (200), Class 3

Greater London

Imperial College London – Class 1, Low Carbon Car for 2009

Brunel Masters – Class 1 (200)

South East

University of Sussex – Class 1

South West

University of Bath – Class 1, Class 3

Yorkshire and Humberside

University of Huddersfield – Class 1, Class 1 (200)

Wales

Swansea Metropolitan University – Class 1, Class 2, Class 1(200), Class 3

NEWI – Class 1, Class 1 (200), Class 3

Cardiff University – Class 1

Scotland

University of Strathclyde – Class 1

University of Glasgow – Class 1

Ireland

Queens University of Belfast – Class 1