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This year ΢��Ȧ Racing, the University’s Formula Student team, are preparing to compete internationally for the first time with races in Greece and Croatia alongside the annual event at the world-famous Silverstone race circuit. 

Formula Student is an international competition held every year at Silverstone where more than 100 teams of students from across the globe race cars they have designed and constructed around the iconic circuit. 

Academic lead for the team and senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at ΢��Ȧ, Patrick Sheen explained how the team have been doing this year. “The team have made a huge amount of progress on the design front. We’ve got a brand-new engine this year and we have been really focused on reducing the mass of the car as much as possible. Getting the car ready for Silverstone is always a challenge and there’s usually some kind of last-minute challenge thrown the teams way but I’m confident we’ll be able to deal with it.”

The competition itself pushes student teams to the limit through a gruelling schedule across five days that can often see the team working 15-hour days. The competition is split into two elements with the static events looking at the car's design and the team's business plan followed by the dynamic events which culminates with an endurance race on the final day. The car must pass scrutineering, with regulations set by industry experts, to be allowed to race. 

For the first time ever and to celebrate the team’s rebrand to ΢��Ȧ Racing five years ago the students will be competing in Formula Student competitions overseas. First in Croatia in early August and then in Greece just ten days later. This means that reliability of the car is going to be more important than ever this year with such short turnarounds between competitions. 

First year automotive engineering student Caspar King is the new to the team this year and explained how being a part of the ΢��Ȧ Racing team will help him in his career. “I want to go into the automotive industry and work on race cars, so Formula Student gives me practical experience. It gives me a real taste of the environment that I hope to go into after I graduate so its exactly what I need to prepare myself.”  

The design process for the Formula Student cars starts in September and goes right up to the launch event in July. The team is only allowed to use a certain percentage of the previous year's car, so the students involved need to constantly think of new ideas and innovations, working within set regulations and to a budget.

The team have also attracted a wide array of sponsors this year which have supported their preparations on the road to Silverstone. These include: Get It Made, SYIL, Loctite, 3DConnexion, Easy Composites, ProFormance Metals, Grayston, Logo Me Up, Fast Signs and Clutch Gaming. 

The event at Silverstone this year takes place between 16h-20 July at Silverstone. 

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