Start your engines: The Formula SAE-A event rolled into Winton over the weekend.
Photo by
Simon Ruppert
Some of the most brilliant university student minds from across Australia descended on Winton Motor Raceway last weekend for the annual Formula SAE-A competition.
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After months of designing, building and testing their own open-wheeled Formula race car, university students from all over Australia — as well as New Zealand and Taiwan — came together for three days of festivities and competition.
Each December hundreds of students, volunteers and spectators attend the Society of Automotive Engineers - Australasia event.
The 2022 edition was the first to be held in three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 1000 people attended each of the three days at Winton.
Split into two categories, electric vehicle (EV) and internal combustion (IC), teams are judged in a range of events — business presentation, cost, engineering design, acceleration, skid pad, autocross, efficiency and endurance.
Teams are judged and allocated points for each event which decides the overall winner in the two categories.
University of Auckland claimed the EV category, while University of Waikato secured the IC title.
SAE-A chairman and chief executive officer Adrian Feeney, who is also chairman of the Formula SAE committee, said the event — which was first introduced in Australia 22 years ago — was a roaring success.
“It was a significant weekend for everyone involved. We haven’t been able to run the event since 2019,” Mr Feeney said.
“There was plenty of relief for all of the competing teams and organisers. There was plenty of great camaraderie on display, everyone supported each other and everyone was happy to see others do well.
“Everyone shares in on the fun which is what makes it special.”
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