From the Oxford Brookes University News Archive
17/06/2022
Award winning Formula Student team Oxford Brookes Racing (OBR) have launched a brand new all-electric race car ready to compete with other universities on the track this year.
Members of OBR showcased the new car at a launch event at the University’s Headington Campus, which will compete in the Formula Student competition at Silverstone on the 9 - 10 July.
More than 350 students registered to take part in the design and build of the car and battery, which began in September 2021. The students get involved with the build of the car alongside their own studies.
Oxford Brookes students from across the globe contributed to this year’s car, coming from countries including, Ireland, Brazil, Belgium, Japan, India, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Australia, Netherlands, Greece, USA, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Malaysia and the Philippines as well as the UK . The flags representing the nationalities of all students involved are proudly presented on the car.
Any student from the University can join OBR, and no previous experience is required, although the majority of members are engineering students. Others help with areas such as sponsorship, marketing and communications. The students are supported and assisted through the project by staff in the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics.
Formula Student at Silverstone, launched in 1981, is the largest student motorsport competition in the world, and teams from across the globe compete by designing and building their own single-seat race cars. The cars are judged across the weekend on speed, acceleration and endurance. Competing teams can enter all-electric or combustion cars, and each year sees over 100 teams across 30 countries enter. This was the first in-person Formula Student car launch at Oxford Brookes since 2019, and was the first time ever the university has hosted an in-person launch of an all-electric car. Yannick Degrosonay, Head of Business Development & Technical Partnerships Lead at OBR and a second year student in Motorsport Engineering. said: “We are very proud and excited to have unveiled Oxford Brookes Racing’s all-electric car for 2022, after all of the hard work from our dedicated volunteers. We cannot wait to see our creation in action on the track this year at Formula Student.
“The car has a fully moulded carbon fibre chassis and carbon fibre wheel rims, which together will help to decrease the weight of the car while also retaining efficiency and resistance.” OBR Team Leader, Ole Ramming, a Masters student in Motorsport Engineering, said: “Building an electric car is a hugely complex challenge in comparison with a conventional combustion-powered vehicle. However, the performance benefits, particularly in acceleration, are what will make OBR stand out from our competitors. Even with a rising number of entries fielding an electric car, the combination of advanced control strategies with our four wheel drive system will give OBR an edge.” The launch event was live streamed on YouTube, and guests including sponsors and University alumni attended.
Oxford Brookes Racing was founded in 1999 and has an excellent record competing in Formula Student Silverstone, winning seven UK Top Team awards, which is more than any other UK university. This year sees Formula Student in Silverstone return to its full capacity since 2019. The 2020 event was moved online due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, and the 2021 version ran as a hybrid event. Gordana Collier, Head of the School of Engineering at Oxford Brookes, and the Principal Academic Adviser for OBR said: “Oxford Brookes Racing has a very proud history at Formula Student in Silverstone, finishing as a top team on seven occasions, and we hold the record for most Top 3 finishes of any UK team. “With the last combustion car finishing in second place in the entire competition in 2019, the team is eager to take the top step with its all-new, all-electric design.
“This electric revolution is only possible through the vast support from industrial sponsors in combination with the modern teaching and facilities at Oxford Brookes, which provides a fantastic platform for the team members to design and manufacture a competitive race car. We would like to extend our thanks to them. “The Formula Student project helps to inspire students in improving their entrepreneurial and project management skills, and this is evident by our success in the competition. The chance for our students to compete at the world famous Silverstone track is an opportunity like no other, where they can walk in the footsteps of their heroes in the motorsport world. The university also currently has graduates in every Formula 1 team.
“The second most senior role in the team is taken by a female student, Sophie Foster, and we are looking forward to having a female team leader in the future. This can be a male dominated industry, so it is always fantastic to be able to promote the rightful place of women in motorsport. “I would like to commend the dedication of all involved in OBR, especially after the challenging times we faced during the Coronavirus pandemic where Formula Student could not take place in the way that we know and love. OBR is back this year with a brand new all-electric car, and I am certain that our students will make us proud on the world stage once more.” More information on Engineering at Oxford Brookes University can be found on the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics webpage.
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