Formula Student

Formula Student is an annual educational engineering competition for teams of university students, which challenges them to design, build, market, and run a single-seater race car and compete with international teams across the world.

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Who are we?

Organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Formula Student is an international engineering competition where university students design, build, and run single-seater race cars. It bridges the gap between engineering theory and hands-on practical skills for thousands of young engineers every year, complimenting their academic studies with practical skills and experience of working as a team on a real-world project. Teams are quizzed on their design choices, the sustainability of their vehicle, and their business acumen, enhancing their expertise and preparing them for careers in motorsport, automotive, and other engineering industries. The finals event is held at Silverstone after the British Grand Prix, where students show off their hard work during formal presentations and on-track events to demonstrate their vehicle’s speed, handling and efficiency

Age

University students aged 18+

Location

Nationwide, South East, South West, East Anglia, West Midlands, North East, North West, Scotland, Wales, London

What do we do?

Formula Student is an international engineering competition where university students design, build, and race single-seater cars as an extra-curricular activity. Teams create prototypes for autocross or sprint racing and present them to a hypothetical manufacturing firm.

Formula Student AI: involves teams developing driving systems for fully autonomous vehicles, competing in similar events and participating in autonomous tests.

Want to get involved?

Have a look and see if your university already has a team in Formula Student.

Register your university and start a team! It is usually open from October to January each year.

How much does it cost?  Ranges from £765 – £2,095. However, they do provide financial awards of up to £4,500 to support teams.

Funded by the educational provider.

Become a volunteer Start a team Financial Awards Universities competing in 2024

Become a Volunteer

If you are 18+ and have the necessary knowledge or experience media, engineering, scrutineering, dynamic test, business and AI.

Click here

Hear from Naomi Rolfe Manager of Formula Student

It’s an amazing opportunity to get practical motorsport experiences. It is not just about the motorsport side it is about the key skills you will develop like teamwork and resilience. If your university doesn’t have a team work with a faculty advisor to start one, and if they do seek them out and get stuck in!

Frequently Asked Questions

The Inclusion Hub, developed by Motorsport UK and Mission 44, simplifies access to motorsport opportunities for young people, educators, and underrepresented groups. It offers clear pathways into the sport through volunteering, education, career resources, and community-building opportunities.

The Inclusion Hub is available to anyone looking to find opportunities in motorsport. However, the platform is aimed at young people that are interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM).

The Inclusion Hub will help Motorsport UK and its partners deliver on their mission to make motorsport more inclusive, diverse, and accessible. By providing a comprehensive digital hub, we can ensure that young people, regardless of background, have the tools and opportunities they need to thrive in motorsport.

Use the platform’s search and filter tools to explore opportunities based on location, interest, or type (e.g., clubs, volunteering, jobs, or education programmes).

The platform highlights job boards, career guides, webinars, tips, and scholarships. You can also connect with industry leaders and organisations to build your network. Additionally, the platform features extracurricular programmes that can help you build valuable skills and enhance your CV—qualities that employers in the motorsport industry highly value. These programmes include volunteering, club participation, and hands-on experience through STEM-related initiatives, all designed to give you a competitive edge in your career development.

The hub is regularly updated with new opportunities, resources, and success stories to ensure users have the latest information available.