1. What is Formula Student?

(Source: Silverstone official website)

Formula Student, organized by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), is an annual engineering competition that challenges university teams worldwide to design, build, test, and race their own single seat race cars. Teams are evaluated across multiple areas from design, cost analysis, and business presentations to dynamic events such as acceleration, handling, and endurance.

Launched in 1998, the competition began with entries from 114 universities (88 cars competing). Today, it has grown into a global event with over a hundred teams each year, and since 2007, it has been held at the iconic Silverstone Circuit in the UK.

2. From Student Racetracks to F1 Teams

Top-performing teams in Formula Student often attract the attention of F1 teams and leading automotive companies. As early as 1998, records showed that many outstanding graduates were recruited by the “Big Three” U.S. automakers General Motors (GM), Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler (now part of Stellantis), as well as suppliers and the American motorsport industry.

A concrete example is Bernadette Collins, former Senior Strategy Engineer at McLaren. She participated in Formula Student during university, then successfully applied for McLaren’s graduate program, completing rigorous assessments and departmental rotations before officially joining the F1 team.

Similarly, Tiger Lee from the University of New Mexico leveraged his Formula Student experience to secure a role as an Aerodynamic Design Engineer with McLaren F1, after passing multiple rounds of interviews and technical evaluations.

Another standout case is Bryan Bozzi, a former member of Bath’s Formula Student team, who is now a Race Engineer for Charles Leclerc at Ferrari F1. These stories show how participation in Formula Student can be a genuine stepping stone to a frontline career in motorsport and automotive engineering.

(Source: Institution of Mechanical Engineers)

3. The Rise of Electric Power: Student Racing Leading the Industry’s New Wave

  • Formula Student has become an integral part of global engineering education. One highlight is Revolve NTNU from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, which created the first all wheel drive electric race car in the Nordic region pioneering the integration of electric mobility, autonomous driving, and cutting edge innovation into student racing.
  • The 2025 Champion, the University of the Basque Country (Spain), made a remarkable leap from third place in 2024 to secure the Formula Student UK title in 2025. Their highly refined EV showcased outstanding performance across both dynamic events and static evaluations (design and cost), marking not only a racing victory but also a milestone in the era of electric vehicles.
  • Other top teams also delivered impressive results:

    -2nd Place: Vermilion Racing from the Technical University of Denmark, winners of the Business Presentation Plan and overall champions in the static events.  
    -3rd Place: Oxford Brookes University (UK) made a strong comeback with a four wheel drive EV, clinching the Acceleration Event title along with key technical awards such as Best Electric Powertrain and Dynamics Excellence Award.
    -Additional awards went to University of Birmingham (Endurance Event), Wuhan University of Technology (Engineering Design Award), and Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico (Concept Class Champion).
  • With more electric innovation entering the Formula Student arena each year, the competition is increasingly aligned with the future direction of the automotive industry

4. Real Insights: The Value of Participating in Formula Student

Student Testimonials: The Value of Participating in Formula Student

  • Oliver Albert, Technical Director of University of Cambridge Full Blue Racing (FBR):
    “Being a part of FBR has in many ways been more important than my degree.”
  • Simon Harvey, University of Brighton:
    “To have built a car from scratch with such a small group of students is quite an achievement.”
  • Team Swinburne, Swinburne University (Formula Careers interview):
    “My Formula Student journey has been long, challenging and rewarding.”

Many students emphasize that building the car is just the surface. The real learning lies in developing transferable soft skills essential for future careers: problem solving, teamwork, creativity under pressure, time management, sponsor negotiation, and public presentation skills.

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