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Formula Student 2012 set to be a record-breaker
January 25, 2012
A record 134 student teams from 34 countries register for world’s largest student motorsport competition
Student teams from fifty UK universities will take on students from
across the globe at Formula Student 2012, to be held at Silverstone on
13-15 July.
Run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Formula Student
challenges student engineers to design, build and race a single seat
racing car in one year. The cars are then judged on their speed,
acceleration, handling and endurance in a series of time-trial races,
while the teams are tested on their design, costing and business
presentation skills.
Jon Hilton, Chairman of Formula Student, said:
“Formula Student not only acts as one of the best testing grounds for
young engineers, but it is also one of the most exciting competitions
on the motorsport calendar. No other international competition sees so
many cars from so many countries go head to head.
“Last year’s event was the most successful in our 15 year history, and 2012 is shaping up to be even bigger and better.”
Formula Student 2012 will be the first to pit electric and
petrol-powered cars against each other, featuring 20 electric cars as
well as one hydrogen-powered racer from Delft University of Technology,
Netherlands.
The competition will also feature more countries than ever before.
Silverstone will host universities from as far afield as Australia,
Thailand, Egypt, Iran and South Africa this July.
Last year’s winning car, from the University of Stuttgart, boasted a
better brake horsepower (bhp)/weight ratio than a Bugatti Veyron. This
year the university will be bringing an electric and a petrol-powered
car in an attempt to retain the title. All of last year’s top-ranking UK
teams, from the universities of Hertfordshire, Swansea and Bath will
return in an attempt to become the first UK team to win the Formula
Student title in the competition’s 15 year history.
Tickets for Formula Student 2012 are now on general sale from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers website:
www.imeche.org/events/O1462
Formula Student Facts and Figures
- Formula Student, run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, is
the world’s largest student motorsport event, challenging students from
around the world to design, build and race a single-seater racing car
from scratch.
- Formula Student culminates in a competition to be
held from the 13-15 July on the Silverstone home straight. It is now in
its 15th year. Formula Student UK is part of a global series of similar
events linked by organising body Formula SAE. This year FSAE events will
be held in the USA, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Spain, Brazil,
Australia, Russia and Japan.
- Ross Brawn, Team Principal of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team is Patron of the competition.
- The cars can go from 0-60mph in less than three seconds, with an engine of anything up to 610cc in size.
- Entries are judged on design, cost and business presentation, as well
as dynamic performance in the sprint, skid-pad, acceleration and
endurance challenges.
- Formula Student usually forms part of the students’ engineering degree course and counts towards their final mark.
- For new teams who may not have the experience to produce a fully
working racecar, Class 2 encourages teams to submit their designs and
any manufactured parts for judging.