The annual competition, organized by SAE International, challenges students to conceive, design, fabricate, develop, and compete with high performance "formula" vehicles
The UConn Formula SAE team examines their vehicle during the competition at Michigan International Speedway. (Photo courtesy of Milton Levin)
The UConn Formula SAE team is revved up after earning a record-breaking ranking.
During a three-day competition at Michigan International Speedway May 8-11, UConn competed against 118 other national and international teams and placed 4th overall, the highest in UConn's history.
"The team was totally ecstatic," explains UConn Formula SAE (FSAE) President and mechanical engineering major Abhiemanyu Sukumaran '24 (ENG). "As they were announcing the overall places, we heard 8,7,6, etc. Then they called our name, and everyone started jumping and screaming for joy! We celebrated like we won the national championship. It was bliss to have broken the record for our highest placement ever."
UConn FSAE is a student-run organization that combines students' passions for motorsport and engineering. The 80-member-club consists of students from different majors and class years who work towards the goal of racing a Formula-style car competitively. Each component of the car is designed and assembled by students.
The annual competition, organized by SAE International (previously known as the Society of Automotive Engineers) challenges college students to conceive, design, fabricate, develop, and compete with formula-style vehicles. "Formula" vehicles are small, single-seater racecars characterized by a low-to-the-ground aerodynamic design, an open cockpit, and exposed wheels. These high-performance vehicles can reach speeds over 110 mph on certain tracks.
During the event, teams receive points for participation in static events (cost presentation; design presentation; and business presentation) and dynamic events (acceleration; skidpad; autocross; and endurance). UConn placed 27th in cost; 11th in the design; 6th in business presentation; 8th in acceleration; 8th in skidpad; 5th in autocross; and 6th in endurance.
"We indeed have an exceptional FSAE team at UConn," says team advisor Wajid Chishty, professor in residence of mechanical engineering.
This was UConn's 14th year competing at the Michigan International Speedway. In 2023, the team placed 11th overall and strived to make the 2024 project-named CT-151IC-even better.
"We improved many of our controls systems to make them more adjustable, we improved our suspension design, our aero package is much more durable," Sukumaran says. "We also really focused on track testing to setup the car as best we could."
The UConn team isn't stopping with their combustion-engine model. In June, the team will debut their first-ever electric vehicle to competition.
