FORMULA STUDENT
The category started as Formula SAE in the United States in 1980, and since then more than 400 universities around the world have joined the programme.
The Formula Student international series is one of the most prestigious motorsport competitions in the world of technical universities. Its aim is to develop highly skilled university students with engineering, organisational and management skills over the course of a one-year racing season. In addition to building a single-seater Formula 1 racing car, the FS includes research, production, testing, development, management and marketing.
Our competitions allow teams from different countries to test their engineering and business skills, giving students the opportunity to combine theory with practice in a competitive environment.
In Formula Student we can basically distinguish 3 different categories: the CV (Internal Combustion Vehicle category), the EV (Electric Vehicle category) and the DV (Driverless category).
COMPETITION RULE BOOK
Competition structure
Formula Student races take place for around a week at some of the world's most prestigious circuits, including Germany's Hochenheimring, Austria's Red Rull Ring, Silverstone in England and the Hungaroring in Hungary.
The competitions are divided into 2 categories. There are the Static Events, where creativity, performance and presentation are the main focus, and the Dynamic Events, where the cars can show what they can really do. These events are worth a total of 1000 points.
Before the start of the dynamic race stages, there are still a number of checkpoints to be passed by both the team and the cars. First of all, the teams have to go through a Mechanical Inspection, where the various documents are presented and the equipment that comes with the car is checked to make sure it complies with the regulations. Then comes the Dynamic Machine Check, which includes the drivers' egress, brake test, noise test, tilt test and roll test. On passing these, the car is awarded 1-1 sticker.
The Competition
Static Events
Business Plan Presentation
The objective of the BPP is to evaluate the team’s ability to develop and deliver a comprehensive business model. In doing so, the business must offer the car or component as a product or sell a service that relates to it providing a rewarding business opportunity that creates a monetary profit.
Cost and Manufacturing
The objective of the cost and manufacturing event is to evaluate the team’s understanding of the manufacturing processes and costs associated with the construction of a prototype race car. This includes trade off decisions between content and cost, make or buy decisions and understanding the differences between prototype and mass production.
Engineering Design
The concept of the design event is to evaluate the student’s engineering process and effort that went into the design of a vehicle, meeting the intent of the competition.
Dynamic Events
Skidpad
'8' shape should be written with the car. The driver makes the first two laps to the right, the second two laps to the left and then drives off the track. The second lap is always the measured lap.
Acceleration
The car has to accelerate on a 75-metre long, 3-metre wide track.
Autocross
Complete the 1 km course with buoys in the shortest possible time. Also known as the Endurance's qualifying time trial.
Endurance
Also known as the Feature Race. The cars must cover a total of 22 kilometres during the race. This distance is covered by two drivers, as there is a mandatory driver change after the first 11 kilometres.
Efficiency
In Endurance, they look at the efficiency of the cars' fuel consumption (petrol or electricity).