Student stars of Silverstone

26 Jul 2012

Hot on the heels of the British Grand Prix, sixteen students from the University Formula Student Team spent four days at Silverstone competing in the IMechE organised 2012 Formula Student.

The event attracts teams of students from universities around the world and is one of 12 similar events spread over five continents.

The competition includes static events, where teams are judged on knowledge of their design, cost of manufacture and a pitch to a group of supposedly venture capitalists, timed dynamic events to test the car's acceleration, handling and speed around a track and, on the final day, a 22km timed endurance run.

Having designed and built the single seat racing car over the previous year, the MACE and EEE students put up a good showing in the static events before completing the timed events and endurance contest.

Despite setting what was, at the time, the day’s fastest lap the team suffered a component failure during the driver change over, resulting in the hot engine depositing all of its coolant water over the precious Silverstone tarmac. The team now hope to build on the experience and improve on the result next year.

Bob Wroe, experimental officer at the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, said: “Congratulations to all the students involved, and thank you to everybody who has helped over this year and others.”