RMIT Formula SAE in action

Team RMIT celebrate their victory

An RMIT team last weekend won the USA FSAE East Coast event at the Ford Proving Grounds in Romeo, just north of Detroit, with 887 points out of a possible 1000. The closest team, Penn State, gained 768.

Formula SAE is an international student design contest organised by the Society of Automotive Engineers. More than 1000 engineering students participate over three days. Students set out to design a small Formula-type car, aimed at the weekend autocross racing market. Prototypes are judged on a range of criteria, including design, cost, fuel economy and, most importantly, endurance.

Dr Simon Watkins, Associate Professor of Automotive Engineering at RMIT's Bundoora campus, said: "Ours was probably the lightest car (150.5 kilograms) to win the race." It was powered by a single-cylinder Yamaha 450cc engine. "This event is probably the most motivating thing I have ever seen in higher education," Dr Watkins added.

RMIT's team members in the US last weekend were Dean Cowling, Grant McPherson, Geoff Pearson, Jacob Rayner, Lee Mitchener, Brad Wischusen, Stuart Bajema, John Abakumenko and Jason Gray.

"Stuckey Tyre Service is a proud supporter of this student project, exhibiting the very essence of grass-roots motorsport, and our own competitive instincts" said Russell Stuckey. "This can-do attitude is to be applauded, and is exemplified in many aspects of the local motorsport community" he added.

Visit the RMIT site at http://www.rmit.edu.au/