Formula Student 2023
Following very successful qualification sessions through multiple-choice exams in January 2023, thanks to a lot of preparation, we decided to attend the Formula Student competitions in Hungary (FS East) and Germany (FS Germany) this summer. We were expecting to face increased difficulty and much stronger competition, as these two events are the most prestigious in the world. We went there to push our limits, but also to receive advice from the judges and the many more experienced and high-performing teams to help advance the association.
Formula Student East
The first of these competitions was FS East in Hungary. We achieved very good results in the static events. However, despite hard work and a challenging week, we were unable to pass the technical inspection. This was obviously a result that didn’t satisfy us (even though we succeeded in the static events: Cost, Design, and Business Plan), so we continued to work hard between the two competitions to ensure we would pass the technical inspection in Germany and improve even further in the static events based on feedback from the judges.
Formula Student Germany
We arrived in Germany for Formula Student Germany with all the experience and advice we had gained at FS East. Once again, the static events went very well. We performed better in front of the judges, but since they were even more demanding, we received similar scores to those in Hungary. However, we can clearly see our progress each time we take the judges’ feedback into account, which highlights the importance of competing as often as possible.
After a few twists and turns, we passed all the technical inspections (Mechanical Inspection, Tilt Test, Noise Test, Brake Test) and were able to participate in the Autocross to compete against the best cars in the category. The following day, we took part in the endurance race (22 km). Unfortunately, after the third lap, our car was held up by a slower vehicle. The track marshals took some time to wave the blue flags, signaling that we could overtake. The air being sucked into our cooling system was much too hot, as it came directly from the exhausts of the car in front of us. The engine overheated and went into safe mode, with the coolant temperature rising from 90°C to 130°C in just five corners. Unfortunately, we had to retire from the race, but we are extremely proud to have raced in Germany during the last edition with combustion engine single-seaters.
Formula Student France
On October 13th and 14th, 2023, we participated in the first edition of Formula Student France, held at the Transpolis complex near Lyon. The event was reserved for French student teams, with the goal of expanding internationally in the next edition. Over these two days of competition, we took part in all the static and dynamic events, finishing 3rd in the overall standings and 2nd in the combustion category. These results were made possible thanks to the dedication of the entire team, which earned us 1st place in the design event and the title of Best Team Spirit of the competition. These encouraging rewards reflect the technical and managerial choices made, as well as the direction the team has taken! Indeed, returning to simpler concepts for the car allowed the whole team to gain a better understanding and control of it.
However, these results are not perfect. We still have a lot of room for improvement in terms of reliability, as it prevented us from completing the final event of the meeting, costing us 2nd place in the overall standings.
Formula Student France marks the end of the competition season for the entire team, and our focus is now on resolving the various issues encountered with EC-04 in preparation for its evolution next summer in 2024!