Please introduce yourself.
I’m Terry Spall and I have been heavily involved in Formula Student since 1997, both as one of the design judges for many years and currently as Chief Judge of the competition. This position provides oversight of the judging process, including handling any appeals and disputes that arise during the event. Essentially we apply the rules as defined by SAE and ourselves as Formula Student; we always ensure fairness in all respects and we like to ensure transparency of the process at every stage.
What key area is often overlooked?
The most important thing for me is that teams understand and follow the rules, and thankfully most teams do. By understanding the rules, you can work to stay within them and you can plan your strategy for the season accordingly. We often see teams that focus on building a car, getting someone in the driving seat and getting it round a track, but winning Formula Student is about a lot more than that; teams need to consider all the other elements involved in the competition to score maximum points.
What one piece of advice would you give teams for this season?
You’ll have to forgive me for suggesting two things here, but they are closely related. Firstly, develop a strategy for how you are going to perform to your best as a team in the competition. Secondly, and hopefully an important part of that strategy, is to grab whatever advice and guidance you can to help you formulate that strategy.
Participating in Learn To Win and Learn To Win Live would be a great start – there’s a lot of value in starting the process early at Learn To Win, which will help teams by telling them exactly what they need to do. I often hear how teams are pressured by exams, or by team members who drop out of the project; such issues have to be overcome by all teams. Learn To Win will certainly help you understand these issues, and to develop a formal strategy to manage time and resources well so you can complete all key aspects of Formula Student and score the most points you can.
Just prior to the competition at Silverstone, Learn to Win Live will give teams the opportunity to dry run scrutineering and their business presentations, and test their cars under realistic conditions - clearly giving those teams a massive advantage over those that turn up at Silverstone still assembling their cars and writing their presentations! An interesting fact is that the four highest placed UK teams all participated in LTWL; in fact, ten of the top twelve UK placed teams participated in LTWL in 2016.
What can teams look forward to at Learn To Win?
Learn To Win provides teams with a chance to expand their knowledge of the competition and pick up tips and guidance from some of our expert judges and scrutineers – truly invaluable for any team embarking on the Formula Student journey. It provides a chance to put questions to some of the most experienced Formula Student people in the country on all aspects of the competition and use the information gained to develop a strategy and knowledge base.
What do you enjoy about Learn to Win?
Personally I like meeting the new teams and seeing their enthusiasm and passion for what lies ahead in the competition, and doing what we can to steer them in the right direction.
Terry will be joined by his team of judges and prominent automotive experts at Learn To Win on 14 October 2016 at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers' London HQ. To hear advice and guidance for all areas of the competition and get essential feedback on your vehicle ahead of the competition, book your team to join Learn to Win.