Engineers race into record book

UQ Racing has recorded its best overall results in an Australian student racecar competition and also set an acceleration record.

The team finished second overall at the Australian Formula Society of Automotive Engineers Australasia (SAE-A) competition, where students designed, built and raced their own formula-style race cars.

It’s the students’ best result as they beat many of the 25 competitors from Australian universities as well as university teams from Japan, India and New Zealand.

Cars were judged on their design, cost, presentation, acceleration, cornering performance, fuel economy and endurance during the three-day competition at Victoria University, Werribee.

Associate Professor David Mee, the team’s advisor from UQ’s School of Engineering, said it was UQ Racing’s third straight acceleration win and in record time covering 75 metres from a standing start in 3.95 seconds.

“This is the first time in Australia that a student car has broken the four second barrier for this event,” Associate Professor David Mee said.

He said a stiffer, lighter body and carbon fibre wheel rims instead of steel rims, improved the car.

UQ Racing came second in the endurance event, which tests reliability, speed and fuel efficiency over 22 kilometres or 32 laps.

The University of Western Australia won the competition overall and University of Wollongong placed third.

The SAE-A competition is designed to expose young engineers to practical experience and teamwork by building and racing their own formula-style car, an open wheeled race car with a 600cc engine.

UQ Racing members are already working on designs for next year’s car.

Media: UQ Racing team leader Tim Allan (0411 611 645), Associate Professor Mee (3365 4058) or Miguel Holland at UQ Communications (3365 2619)