Formula Student

Last updated

Formula Student
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Worldwide
CountryUnited Kingdom
Current event clock.svgWon by Edith Cowan University Racing

Formula Student is a student engineering competition held annually. Student teams from around the world design, build, test, and race a small-scale formula style racing car. The cars are judged on a number of criteria. It is run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and uses the same rules as the original Formula SAE with supplementary regulations.

Contents

Class definitions

There are three entry classes in Formula Student, designed to allow progressive learning.

Formula Student Class (formerly Class 1)

This is the main event, where teams compete with the cars they have designed and built. Teams are judged across six categories and must pass an inspection by judges before being allowed to compete for the dynamic events. There are usually 100-120 teams in this class.

Concept Class (formerly Class 2)

This is a concept class for teams who only have a project and plan for a Class 1 car. It can include any parts or work that has been completed in the project so far but this is not necessary. Teams are judged on business presentation, cost and design. Schools can enter both FS Class and Concept Class cars, allowing Concept Class to be used for inexperienced students to practise their development in advance of a full Formula Student Class entry.

FS-AI

In 2019 the FS-AI class was introduced for driverless cars. [1]

Class 1A (pre-2012)

The 13th car of DUT Racing, the Formula Student team from the Delft University of Technology Dut13.jpg
The 13th car of DUT Racing, the Formula Student team from the Delft University of Technology

This was an alternative fueled class with the emphasis placed upon the environmental impact of racing. A car from the previous year's Class 1 entry could be re-entered and re-engineered allowing the students to concentrate on the low carbon aspect of the competition without having to redesign a new chassis and ancillaries. Cars in Class 1A were judged in the same events alongside Class 1 however the cost category was replaced by one for sustainability and the endurance event had a greater emphasis placed upon measured emissions. Class 1A cars were scored and ranked independently of Class 1. Since 2012, both Petroleum and Alternative fueled cars have competed for places in the same rankings.

Class 2A (pre-2012)

This was a concept class for teams who only had a project and plan for a Class 1A car. It could include any physical parts or work that had been completed for the project so far, but was not essential. Teams were judged on business presentation, cost and design. Schools could enter both Class 1A and Class 2A teams, with Class 2A allowing inexperienced students to gain competition experience in preparation for a full Class 1A entry.


Judging

The cars are judged by industry specialists on the following criteria:

Static events

Dynamic events

The winner of the event is the team with the highest number of points out of a maximum of 1000. [2]

History

The first event was held at the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) proving ground in 1998. Following that, the event was held for three years at the NEC Birmingham between 1999 and 2001. The event was then held on the Go-Kart track at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome between 2002 and 2006, before moving to Silverstone Circuit in 2007 where the competition remains until this day. The dynamic events have taken place on Luffield and Brooklands corners in the past but 2012 saw Copse corner and the National Circuit pit straight being used.

Formula Student partnered with Racing Pride in 2019 to support greater inclusivity across the British motorsport industry for LGBT+ fans, employees and drivers. [3]

The FS-AI class enabling driverless cars began in 2019. [4]

Winners

YearLocationClass 1PointsBest UK teamPoints
(position)
Class 1-200Class 3Class 1a
1998 MIRA Flag of the United States.svg UT Arlington University of Birmingham n/an/an/a
1999 NEC Birmingham Flag of the United States.svg Rochester IT Leeds University n/a Flag of Slovenia.svg University of Maribor n/a
2000 NEC Birmingham Flag of the United States.svg CSU Pomona University of Hertfordshire n/a Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Huddersfield n/a
2001 NEC Birmingham Flag of the United States.svg Georgia Tech 913 Leeds University 891 (3) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Birmingham Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Bath n/a
2002 Bruntingthorpe Flag of the United States.svg Georgia Tech 936 Brunel University 728 (4) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Hertfordshire Flag of Italy.svg University of Florence n/a
2003 Bruntingthorpe Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg University of Toronto 885 Oxford Brookes University 477 (5) Flag of Finland.svg Helsinki Polytechnic Stadia Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Swansea University n/a
2004 Bruntingthorpe Flag of Australia (converted).svg RMIT University 907 Oxford Brookes University 601 (7) Flag of Germany.svg UAS Stralsund Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Bath n/a
2005 Bruntingthorpe Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg University of Toronto 884 University of Hertfordshire 764 (7) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Swansea University Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Bath n/a
2006 Bruntingthorpe Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg University of Toronto 844 Oxford Brookes University 802 (3) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Hertfordshire Flag of Portugal (official).svg Instituto Superior Técnico n/a
2007 Silverstone Flag of Australia (converted).svg RMIT University 925 University of Bath 785 (6) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Hertfordshire Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Hertfordshire n/a
2008 Silverstone Flag of Germany.svg University of Stuttgart 896 University of Bath 691 (4) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Hertfordshire Flag of the Netherlands.svg TU Eindhoven Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Hertfordshire
2009 Silverstone Flag of Germany.svg University of Stuttgart 792 University of Bath 715 (4) Flag of Germany.svg TU Munich Flag of Iran.svg Isfahan UT Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Hertfordshire
2010 Silverstone Flag of Germany.svg TU Munich 848 University of Hertfordshire 716 (5)n/a Flag of Portugal (official).svg Instituto Superior Técnico Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg ETH Zurich
YearLocationClass 1PointsBest UK teamPoints
(position)
Class 1aClass 2Class 2a
2011 Silverstone Flag of Germany.svg University of Stuttgart 872 University of Hertfordshire 729 (3) Flag of the Netherlands.svg TU Delft (910 points) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Bath Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Warwick
YearLocationClass 1PointsBest UK teamPoints
(position)
Dynamic Events WinnerEndurance Event WinnerStatic Events WinnerClass 2
2012 Silverstone Flag of Sweden.svg Chalmers UT 850 Oxford Brookes University 719 (7) Flag of Germany.svg TU Munich Flag of Sweden.svg Chalmers UT Flag of Australia (converted).svg Monash University Flag of Portugal (official).svg Instituto Superior Técnico
2013 Silverstone Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg ETH Zurich 921 University of Huddersfield 503 (15) Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg ETH Zurich Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg ETH Zurich Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg ETH Zurich Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Imperial College London
2014 Silverstone Flag of the Netherlands.svg TU Delft 855 Oxford Brookes University 733 (6) Flag of the Netherlands.svg TU Delft Flag of Germany.svg University of Stuttgart Flag of Germany.svg University of Stuttgart Flag of the Netherlands.svg TU Eindhoven
2015 Silverstone Flag of the Netherlands.svg TU Delft 909 University of Bath 748 (4) Flag of the Netherlands.svg TU Delft Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Bath Flag of Germany.svg University of Stuttgart Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Bath
2016 Silverstone Flag of Germany.svg University of Stuttgart 851 University of Bath 708 (4) Flag of Germany.svg University of Stuttgart Flag of Germany.svg University of Stuttgart Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg ETH Zurich Flag of Italy.svg University of Rome
2017 Silverstone Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Cardiff University 855 Cardiff University 855 (1) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Birmingham Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Birmingham Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Cardiff University Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Bath
2018 Silverstone Flag of Australia (converted).svg Monash University 864 Oxford Brookes University 772 (2) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Monash University Flag of Australia (converted).svg Monash University Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Bath Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Bath
2019 Silverstone Flag of Italy.svg Uni MoRE 873 Oxford Brookes University 754 (2) Flag of Germany.svg UAS Zwickau Flag of Italy.svg Uni MoRE Flag of Italy.svg Uni MoRE Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Portsmouth
2020not held
2021 Silverstone Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Sheffield 753.9 University of Sheffield 753.9 (1) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Central Lancashire Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Sheffield Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Sheffield Flag of India.svg Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
2022 Silverstone Flag of Scotland.svg University of Glasgow 792.9 University of Glasgow 792.9 (1) Flag of Scotland.svg University of Glasgow Flag of Malta.svg University of Malta Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Southampton Flag of Portugal (official).svg University of Porto
2023 Silverstone Flag of Italy.svg Uni MoRE 834.6 Staffordshire University 719.4 (2) Flag of Italy.svg Uni MoRE Flag of Italy.svg Uni MoRE Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oxford Brookes University Flag of Egypt.svg Ain Shams University
2024 Silverstone Flag of Australia (converted).svg Edith Cowan University 915.2 Cardiff University 714.8 (2) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Edith Cowan University Flag of Australia (converted).svg Edith Cowan University Flag of Scotland.svg University of Glasgow Flag of Scotland.svg University of Glasgow
2025 Silverstone Flag of Spain.svg University of the Basque Country 908.3 Oxford Brookes University 810.8 (3) Flag of Spain.svg University of the Basque Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Birmingham Flag of Denmark.svg Technical University Denmark Flag of Mexico.svg ITESM

Most wins

TeamClass 1 wins
Flag of Germany.svg University of Stuttgart 4
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg University of Toronto 3
Flag of the United States.svg Georgia Tech 2
Flag of Australia (converted).svg RMIT University
Flag of the Netherlands.svg TU Delft
Flag of Italy.svg Uni MoRE
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Cardiff University 1
Flag of Sweden.svg Chalmers UT
Flag of the United States.svg CSU Pomona
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Edith Cowan University
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg ETH Zurich
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Monash University
Flag of the United States.svg Rochester IT
Flag of Germany.svg TU Munich
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Glasgow
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg University of Sheffield
Flag of Spain.svg University of the Basque Country
Flag of the United States.svg UT Arlington

Support

Patron: Ross Brawn (former team principal of Mercedes Formula One team),

Ambassadors of Formula Student include David Brabham, Paddy Lowe, Leena Gade, Dallas Campbell, Mike Gascoyne, The Lord Drayson, Baron Drayson (Former Minister of Science) and James Allison.

See also

References

  1. "History of Formula Student". www.imeche.org. Institution of Mechanical Engineers. 11 March 2024.
  2. "Formula Student Rules". www.imeche.org. Institution of Mechanical Engineers. 11 March 2024.
  3. "Racing Pride join Formula Student". www.imeche.net. Institution of Mechanical Engineers. 5 August 2019.
  4. "History of Formula Student". www.imeche.org. Institution of Mechanical Engineers. 11 March 2024.