A battle royal is looming as students from the University of Birmingham take on the best of the world on the race track.
Students from the School of Engineering will be among the 3,000 young people who will take over the Silverstone racing circuit in Northamptonshire in the wake of this year’s Formula One Grand Prix in July for the UK’s annual Formula Student event.
And athough it might not attract a television audience of millions, between 120 and 150 student-designed racing cars from around the world will be put through their paces with the aim of being triumphant in a contest which assesses everything from design to acceleration, handling and endurance.
The University of Birmingham’s involvement continues a tradition stretching back 16 years and it’s a project which can offer the first stepping stone to a successful career in engineering, with many aiming to go on to become the Formula One engineers of the future.
And the ultimate aim is to challenge the might of the Germans. Senior automotive technician at the School of Mechanical Engineering, Carl Hingley, explained they will be up against several German teams who are generally a step ahead of their rivals due to the generous funding and sponsorship they receive.
“It is a difficult competition to win,” said Mr Hingley, who has been involved with the university’s Formula Student project from day one. “But we are always up there competing and have achieved sixth place in a US event.”
Although building a racing car might sound more like a fun extra-curricular activity than a serious study project the scheme brings many benefits, most notably partnerships and sponsorship deals with big names in the industry and the opportunity for students to complete placements at the cutting edge of the automotive industry. The car is produced as part of a project by students studying various degree courses in engineering and their task is to assume a manufacturer has commissioned them to produce a prototype car that will be evaluated and put into full production.
The car must have high performance acceleration, braking and handling characteristics, while aesthetics, driver comfort, safety and reliability are also taken into account.
Sponsors include Yamazaki Mazak UK which has worked with the racing team on design features, as well as Perkins Engines and Iscar Tools. Aston Martin is also a sponsor. The university itself also provides funding as does its alumni organisation Circles of Influence.
Mr Hingley said: “We need to raise £80,000 a year to run it. In total between 60 and 80 companies a year sponsor us. The university loves it, the industry loves it and the students love it.”
