Formula Student 2005

Yet again, Bruntingthorpe hosted the annual Formula Student event, and as with the weather the level of competition was remarkable. The level of dedication and commitment amongst team members was second to none. As with previous events, there was an obvious air of tension surrounding the scruitineering. With all four tests passed, the cars were now open to compete in the dynamic events, each team aspiring to become the new Formula Student 2006 Overall Winner.

Thursday marked the arrival of the majority of teams to the event. Many having travelled through the night to the venue, wasted no time in setting up their allocated pit area. Sleep is a commodity in short supply at Formula Student as team members are all to well aware of. During the hours following many more teams arrive, judges and officials mingle through the crowds getting their first glance at what lays in store for them over the coming days. Faculty Advisors explore the competition presented by the other teams and seek out new technologies been put to the test. Meanwhile Team leaders take command of their respective teams evaluating deadlines, organising sub assembly teams, and generally diving head first into workload ahead.

By lunchtime, the teams begin to settle into the atmosphere and build up some pace. Sandwiches and cameras start appearing where before there were only Allen keys and torque wrenches. Small groups of team members take turns in grabbing a few moments rest as they peruse around the pits of the other competitors. Some nod, make a brief comment to their friends and move in for a closer look at whatever it was that captured their attention. Then there are those who stare wide-eyed at cars that have achieved something unusual, and impressive.

The day continued with teams developing rapports with their neighbours and finalising their cars’ set-up. As the evening draws in team members examine their progress and plan for the following day, can they get in early, finish scruitineering (if they have still to do so) and get a few runs on the practise track.

Friday morning dawned over Leicester and the teams began streaming into the pits eager to get to work on their cars. An appearance by Ross Brawn, Technical Director of Ferrari F1 (and Honorary Fellow of the ImechE) illustrated the growing importance of Formula Student within the motorsport sector and indeed engineering as a whole. Enthusiastic about the event Brawn toured the pits, conversed with a lucky few teams and addressed the whole body at the morning’s welcome reception.

With scruitineering still at the forefront of most team’s minds, they return to the pits and carry out some last minute checks. Certain teams already having passed all four scruitineering tests either take a spin on the practise track or depending on their schedule, make their way down to the design, costing and presentation events. The results of these events shown below, award teams well-deserved points for their hard work in each respective field. Remember it’s not just about winning, it’s about being successful.

Another day at the competition draws to a close and the teams are already preparing their agenda for Saturday and the commencement of the first day of dynamic events. The true test of the cars reliability and performance.

Saturday morning, 7am, the pits are eerily quiet just before the competitors arrive. Slowly and steadily, cars and vans arrive and droves of students approach the competition areas. It’s a well known fact that at this time of day at Formula Student, no matter where you are you never more than 8 feet away from a cup of coffee. At this juncture many of the teams are at different stages, some require further scruitineering, some have static events to compete in and others are concentrating solely on the dynamic events of the day. The drivers from all teams attend the drivers briefing and for some who drives in which event is still undecided. For those teams who have already had their cars and drivers out testing prior to the competition, the responsibility of each drive has already been allocated. I make my over to the University of Ulster pit to see how the team is progressing. The team great me as I arrive to admire their car, still with scruitineering to contend with, I choose not to interrupt and make my way on to visit Queen’s University pit. As expected, the team are working smoothly and looking forward to the events ahead.

The day progresses and one by one the teams emerge steadily from their pits and make their way over to the Skid-Pad and Acceleration arenas. Throughout the course of the day times are set, broken and broken again. By the time the Acceleration event ends, the University of Bath have clocked the best time with an amazing 3.97 seconds. Bath running with a supercharged Yamaha R6 engine take no time enjoying the applause and motor on with preparation for the next event. Helsinki Polytechnic and Graz University of Technology clinch 2 nd and 3 rd place with 4.02 and 4.05 seconds respectively. The Skid-Pad event was, as always, a joy to watch, with skilled drivers pushing their cars to the limit and around a figure of eight track. On a clean run, Technische Universităt Mǔnchen managed to push their car to 1.44 lateral g on the tight track placing f1st in the event with a time of 4.89 seconds.

Of course, the big event of the day was the Autocross with a potential 150 points up for grabs, the main grandstand was packed to capacity as the runs got underway. Although UCD Racing are presently half way through a two year design and build schedule, and consequently without a car on the track this year. We were still optimistic relating to our closest neighbouring teams, Queen’s Formula Racing and University of Ulster Jordanstown. Queen’s hit the first hurdle developing an oil leak, towards the start of their run. Never a team to underestimate, they promptly pulled the car into the pits. During the following two hours Queen’s put on a show of teamwork enviable of their contemporaries in higher Formula. Calmly they set about performing a complete engine change, whilst also harvesting certain components from the failed engine to install in the replacement. Arriving back to the track, and passing scruitineering again, there was some debate over whether they could run. Eventually they ran out, although the pressure surely affected their driver, however still managing a time of 34.54 seconds. Ulster University weren’t without troubles of their own, but of course managed to keep on top of things and returned to the track clocking a best time of 33.79 seconds.

Disappointing runs from Both Helsinki and ETS left them with slightly disheartened, although with the endurance still up for grabs they remained confident. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was the performance put in by Luleå University of Technology, only managing to place 29 th after the maximum amount of runs. By the time Delhi managed to get their car to the track they arrive to a supportive applause surging from the grandstand. Even though, not a major player in the competition, they have a fighting spirit that will see them go a long way.

The big player emerging on the day was Toronto. Placing 1 st in the Autocross, they reminded everyone that they had their sights firmly set on bringing the Formula Student Title back to Canada with them, following it’s one year sojourn in sunny Melbourne Australia.

With the Autocross track closed for business, the teams began organizing themselves with respect to the following day’s Endurance event (incorporating the Shell Fuel Economy Award)

With everything still to play for Sunday hailed the beginning of the Endurance. With the run order set, and the slowest car from the Autocross out first Toronto had plenty of time to tweak, fine tune, and perfect their set up. With only 18 of the Class 1 cars managing to finish, the event was, as usual plagued with unfortunate retirements. Cardiff displayed dominance in the pit zone, their practice paying off with a change over time of only 142.72 seconds. By the time Helsinki reached the track, they had points to make for following their performance during yesterday’s Autocross. Placing overall 6 th in the event, whilst also incurring a whopping19 time penalties was impressive. University of Ulster sped around the track impressing upon the other teams they were indeed a force to be reckoned. Incurring only a single time penalty, they sailed towards the chequered flag and lay claim to the Shell Award for the Fuel Economy.

Drexel University turned a few heads placing 1 st in the event, stamping their mark on Formula Student and prompting many to reinvestigate the use of wings in this Formula. Toronto close on their heels in 2 nd position sealed the claim on the overall title. Victorious yet again in Formula Student, they carry back with them to Canada the title of Overall Winners Formula Student 2005. Congratulations University of Toronto.

Formula Student 2005 Champions University of Toronto