Formula Student is one of the world’s largest student engineering design competition with entries from around the world. Entrants compete to design, build and race a formula style single seater racing car – providing undergraduates with invaluable real-world project experience as they begin their engineering career. Video shows it all

About IIT Bombay Racing

India’s premier Formula Student Electric team participating in Formula Student UK at Silverstone circuit, UK. You can see EVoK, our 11th season car that I was part of in action with live commentary:

Tips for novice teams

  • Even though there is a ton of advice on online forums (check out Claude Roulle, Pat Clarke and other online fs forums), I thought to write down some other non-technical learnings that could apply to novice, especially Indian teams
  • Incorporate a first principles thinking early on. I love elon’s thought process
  • Clearly defined (in numbers) goals. ex: 500Kms of testing, 3 mock scuts, etc. After a gruelling year of seeing the car run in FSUK19, we were hit by a “your best is not good enough” statement
  • Raise self-image of your team and racecar. Budget is never a reason - dont work with dirty tools, equipment, mindset. Not building rickshaws here. Plan budget on lab organization
  • Plan timeline backwards - 12 months to compi -> 3 months to mock scrut deadline -> need to get chassis built by so and so
  • Try to list down all tech and non-tech risks in FMEA, not just electrical. Form a contigency plan based on risk impact (whatever metric you use). What happens if your driveshaft fractures - have a reliable backup
  • Fail quickly and early

Memoirs and Reflection

  • One of the proudest moments in life to see a racecar built mostly from scratch on the circuit. Fell to tears during Autocorss
  • Perfect flow state of learning in multiple aspects of life and business - project management, engineering from first principles, teamwork, cost management, …
  • Would I leave everything and do this all over again? Absolutely, given I get my old team back