In the world of motorsports, the sound of engines roaring and tyres screeching is akin to a symphony of passion and engineering excellence. For one university student formula racing team, the silence of the past seven years is about to be shattered as they make a triumphant return to the prestigious Formula Student racing competition.
Newcastle University’s very own racing team is set to return to competition this July at Silverstone for the annual Formula Student competition.
Based in the city of Newcastle, Newcastle Racing is gearing up for an exhilarating comeback after a prolonged seven-year absence from the Formula Student competition.
The Formula Student competition, held annually in the UK, challenges university teams from around the world to design, build, and race their own formula-style vehicles. For the Newcastle Racing team, this comeback marks not just a return to the track, but a reaffirmation of their commitment to excellence in engineering education.
Almost entirely student-led, each team must possess passionate individuals with various backgrounds and disciplines to come together and collaborate in order to build a brand-new race car capable of competitive racing from scratch.
Inheriting an old uncompetitive chassis from the year prior, the Newcastle Racing team was forced to quickly adopt a design philosophy for the car that was both competitive and reliable.
When asked about developmental progress in an interview, Newcastle Racing team leader, Fred Ashworth, said “Newcastle Racing as a team hasn’t got to this part in the past seven years so we’re in unchartered territory at the moment.” However, he reassured, “We’re all feeling quite confident.”
Ultimately, the team’s extended absence was fuelled by financial constraints and logistical hurdles which forced the team to put a halt to its competitive operations in 2017.
Their tough position was worsened further by the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw most competitive events throughout the country suspended indefinitely.
Newcastle Racing’s mechanical lead, Gianluca Gilmore Kerr, said, “It’s not ideal that we haven’t had a fully operational car in the past seven years”.
He added, “The handing down of information is imperative, otherwise the ‘new years’ keep having to relearn the same processes that everyone else has already done loads of research into.”
Despite the challenges, the spirit of racing never dimmed with Newcastle Racing. This year, with a brand-new team and a sizeable network of sponsors to fund their project, Newcastle Racing has the exciting opportunity to pass scrutineering for the first time since 2017.
The core team representing Newcastle Racing at Silverstone this year is comprised entirely of fourth-year Newcastle University master’s students, who are on the cusp of graduating from their respective degree programmes.
These passionate individuals have dedicated a significant portion of their final year in school to the rigorous pursuit of engineering excellence, culminating in their participation in Newcastle Racing’s first participation in Formula Student since 2017.
As these passionate seniors prepare to graduate, the Formula Student racing event serves as a fitting send-off – a culmination of the journey of university coming to its eventual end and a testament to their dedication and perseverance.