Institution news
With more electric vehicles competing than any other powertrain entry, 2023 is clearly the tipping point where more and more teams will make the switch from traditional combustion engines in the coming years. After many teams experienced growing pains in 2022, this year will be a chance for students to show what they’ve learned over the past twelve months and incorporate feedback from last year’s competition.
We will continue to support teams developing combustion vehicles as part of our broader strategy to enable as many students as possible to compete in Formula Student. Thanks to our partnership with Motorsport UK and Coryton Fuels we are pleased that we are able to offer 100% sustainable fuel options for the first time. Whether the E85 or a 95 RON E10, this represents a step in the right direction for making the competition more carbon neutral.
Elsewhere, the FS-AI competition continues to go from strength to strength and at over 20 teams is the largest it has ever been, mirroring the growing needs of industry to develop accurate and robust automated systems. Meanwhile, our dedicated Sim Racing committee have continued to host monthly races with even more teams around the world, providing new opportunities for students to learn about virtual dynamics setup, testing and optimisation while participating in lively, competitive online racing.
No matter which area of the competition you participate in, Formula Student continues to challenge thousands of students with a fully-fledged project that is as close to the real world as it gets. With well over 50,000 students and counting having benefitted from the last 25 years of the competition, I am proud to have helped support and develop the talents of young engineers and hope that your new skills and experience will serve you well as you move into your first roles in industry.
On behalf of the Organising Committee and the IMechE, we are grateful for the continued support of our event partners Ansys, MathWorks, Red Bull Engineering Academy and Bentley Motors, FS-AI Partner Babcock International, Category Sponsors RS Grass Roots, MAHLE Powertrain and Polestar and sponsors Mercedes AMG HPP, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One, IPG Automotive, McLaren Applied, Newton Europe, AB Dynamics, Royal Automobile Club, PTC and Multimatic.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our committee members and volunteers past and present for their expertise and dedication over the years. It’s been a pleasure working with you all to make Formula Student the biggest and best event in the IMechE’s calendar.
Finally, whether you are participating for the first time or are a seasoned veteran, we hope you enjoy the chance to compete. Best of luck to all teams taking part; we’ll see you and your cars out on track!
Dr. Andrew Deakin
Chair, IMechE Formula Student