Featuring signature solutions and a more powerful engine, lighter, and more ergonomic - such is the latest bolide constructed by the students of PWR Racing Team. The students are now getting ready for the tests and then - three international Formula Student competitions

The bolide was presented on Tuesday in the lecture hall of the main building of Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

Formula Student is an international engineering competition in which students’ teams from all over the world take part. The participants in the competition must design a bolide, build it, and perform well on the track, as well as present a business concept for the vehicle. 

PWR Racing Team is Poland’s first team to have started competing in the challenge. In 2009, students of Wrocław University of Science and Technology had their début in a race held in the UK by presenting a virtual model of a bolide and, since 2010, have been regularly constructing racing cars and entering them in races on European and American tracks.

The work on the newest bolide named RT09 took eight months. The construction of the vehicle has been completed, but it must undergo tests. Then, it’ll take part in three European tournaments. 

The new model is similar to its predecessor RT08, but it turns out that the similarity is only skin deep.  Components including the engine underwent changes. - When designing the power unit, we focused on reducing the weight of specific parts and achieving better performance. Our work resulted in boosting the engine power to 90 HP and developing a special cooling system. It’s a curious thing that when running at maximum RPM, the engine can be heard from a distance of half a kilometre - said Tomasz Lejczak, leader of the powertrain team.

Developed by our students on their own, also the brake callipers are a new thing.  The bolide’s supporting structure, i.e. the carbon fibre monocoque and the framing that serves as engine cage, has become leaner.  Also, the vehicle’s ergonomics has been improved. Our students came up with the idea of developing a carbon wheel rim, which is now undergoing tests. If these are successful, there is some likelihood that it will be applied in this year’s competitions. Also, the aerodynamic package has been changed.

This year, the racing car will enter three editions of Formula Student competitions - in Italy (July 11-15), Czechia (July 31 - August 4), and Germany (August 6-12). - Our goal is to keep developing the team and of course stand on the podium. I hope that we’ll succeed in attaining results at least as good as in the previous season, which seems possible if you look at our new bolide. Our biggest dream, however, is the podium at the Germany competition - stressed the team’s leader Jędrzej Piasecki.

When constructing their new vehicle, PWR Racing Team collaborated with 130 companies and sponsors from different parts of the world. The supervisors of the team are Marcin Tkaczyk, PhD and Damian Derlukiewicz, PhD. Formula Student competitions are organised by the International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies.