Europe’s Biggest Student Motorsport Event builds on its expertise with Formula One Giant
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) has announced a new partner for Formula Student (FS) 2010. Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines (HPE) has become the latest to offer its expertise and support to Europe’s biggest educational motorsport event.
Formula Student is run by the IMechE to challenge the next generation of engineers to drive a single-seater racing car they have designed and built from scratch. The aim of the competition is to help students develop academic, vocational and practical engineering skills and training that is considered essential by industry experts for students hoping to pursue a career in F1 or motorsport. The Mercedes-Benz HPE partnership will complement the existing relationship with FS Patron Ross Brawn, Team Principal, MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team.
The new partnership augment FS’s collaboration with a number of well respected and high profile organisations supporting the 2010 competition including Shell, Airbus in the UK, E.ON UK, Cenex, Autodesk, National Instruments and The MathWorks.
Mercedes-Benz HPE competes at the top level of motorsport and F1, with three teams being powered by its engines: MERCEDES GP PETRONAS, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Force India. Based in Northamptonshire, it designs and manufactures engines and hybrid drive systems for Formula 1 applications. Those due to benefit from Mercedes-Benz HPE’s engineering include world championship winning drivers Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher.
Andy Cowell, Engineering Director at Mercedes-Benz HPE and IMechE Fellow, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with FS because not only do our own engineers benefit, but also we get to meet the best international mechanical engineering students who could well be our employees of tomorrow, the next generation of engineers for Formula One. Our company is based in Northamptonshire near to where FS is held, so the competition is a great advert for motorsport excellence in this part of the world.”
Formula Student attracts entries from universities all over the world. This year teams from countries including Australia, Canada, India, Sweden and Croatia will all take part in the five-day event at Silverstone on 14 - 18 July. At the event FS cars undergo a series of dynamic tests such as acceleration, sprint, skid-pad, endurance and fuel economy. Students are also tested on design, presentation and cost assessment elements.
FS will once again run its low carbon category of Class 1A cars which allows teams to develop new and novel powertrain technologies, resulting in race cars with low carbon emissions.
