Formula
Student
Bildquelle: FSA – Lodholz
What is Formula Student?
Formula Student is the world’s largest international engineering competition for students. Teams from all over the world compete to design, build and test a formula racing car. The first event took place in the USA in 1981, followed by the first European event in the UK in 1998. Formula Student has since grown into an increasingly popular international competition with participants from over 20 countries and more than 800 universities and colleges.
In Europe, Formula Student now organises more than ten events, including in countries such as Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and Croatia. The participants have to develop a formula vehicle that can be powered by electricity (EV), a combustion engine (CV) or a hybrid powertrain (HY).
The competition not only requires technical expertise in the areas of design and innovation, but also a high degree of teamwork, personal responsibility and management skills, as the students have to plan and implement their projects completely independently. Formula Student thus offers a unique platform for combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience and an entry into the professional motorsport and automotive industry.
The disciplines
At the racing events, the various teams compete in different disciplines. These can be divided into “static disciplines”, which take place off the race track, and “dynamic disciplines”, which take place on the race track.
static disciplines
Business Plan
In the ‘Business Plan’ discipline, the team demonstrates that it is able to develop and present a business model. This business model should be based on their vehicle or a component of their vehicle and represent a good business opportunity that is also monetarily profitable.
Cost and Manufacturing
The Cost and Manufacturing event tests students’ knowledge of the manufacturing process and the associated material, process and assembly costs as well as the emitted greenhouse gas emissions. An essential part of the cost report is the creation of the bill of materials for all vehicle components.
Engineering Design
The Engineering Design event evaluates the team’s development process and decision-making in the design of their vehicle. The aim is to examine the technical solutions that have been incorporated into the vehicle and to assess the engineering implementation of the concepts.
Dynamic disciplines
Acceleration
“Acceleration” is an acceleration race from a standing start on a straight course over 75 metres. The team with the fastest time wins the discipline.
Skidpad
The ‘Skidpad’ discipline consists of a course in the shape of a figure of eight. The car drives two laps in the right and left circle, with the time of the second lap being stopped.
Autocross
Autocross’ is a single lap that is completed as a hot lap. The aim is to achieve the best lap time by completing the course as quickly and precisely as possible.
Endurance
The ‘Endurance’ discipline covers a distance of approx. 22 km, with a driver change after 11 km. The aim is to complete the entire distance as quickly and error-free as possible.
Efficiency
In the “Efficiency” discipline, all teams that have completed the endurance race are ranked according to who has used the least energy in relation to the total time achieved.
the scoring system
