Professional Engineering

Formula Student 2012 challenge begins

Biggest automotive competition for young engineers gets off to a flying start

  • Published in News.

Teams will try to take the title from 2011 winners, University of Stuttgart

More than 130 student racing teams from 34 countries have gathered at Silverstone's famous circuit for this year's Formula Student competition where they will race single-seat racing cars built from scratch.

Teams from South Africa, Egypt, Australia, Pakistan, India, Thailand and Europe will join teams from 50 UK universities in the Silverstone paddocks as they attempt to take the Formula Student title from the University of Stuttgart, who have won three of the last four competitions.

Formula Student, run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, challenges universities from across the world to design, build and race a single-seat racing car in one year. The cars are then judged on their speed, acceleration and endurance, while the teams are tested on their design, costing and business presentation skills.

This year alternative fuel cars will be pitted directly against the petrol cars for the first time. 20 electric cars, as well as one hydrogen-powered racer and one powered by jojoba oil from Ain Shams University, Cairo, will line up in the paddocks.

Weekend highlights include:

  • Main competition events, including a single lap sprint race and a gruelling 22 km endurance race will be held on Saturday
  • Members of the IMechE's automobile division will show off classic and vintage cars
  • A full-scale model of the Bloodhound supersonic car, which is set to break the land speed record, will be on display

The engineering competition is seen as one of the world’s best training grounds for young engineers and is supported by over 250 volunteer judges from motorsport and the wider engineering industry.

This year over 2,000 students are set to attend, making this year's competition the biggest in its 14-year history.