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23 Jul 2012, 21:28 (Ref:3110534) | #1 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 1
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A new series? You tell me ;)
Hey there,
I would like to ask for your help, guys. I compete in the Formula Student competition (If you haven't heard of it yet, student teams design, manufacture, build and race theit own racecars here.) Since it is not just about the on-track performance of the car, teams have to account for their theoretical knowledge and of these so-called static events is the Business Presentation Event. We assume giving a presentation to a board of investors (played by the judges) to raise money for starting a manufacturing company to produce these cars. I found that our car is best suitable for the club-level single seater market. You can check it out here http://www.facebook.com/FormulaRacingTeam and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8uuy...9q-oXEqu7_SpKg (some tech specs: 220 kg, tubulare space frame, carbon fible bodywork, 599 ccm Yamaha R6 engine, 63 Nm, 7000 rpm, Drexler LSD, Öhlins spring&damper units) I have been reading this forum to gain some understanding of how things go on this level but I thought it's best I ask you directly. I hope you don't mind and will hep me out. Could you please answer these questions for me? - What do you look for when you buy a racecar? Price/performance ratio, maintainability, tire-fuel consumption etc? - What do you expect in terms of performance of a good racecar? (this one does 0-100 km/h in 3,6 sec and can reach 1,7 Gs in the corners) - Would you avail yourself of a telemetry system? Would you like to have an extensive electronic system on your car? (paddle shifter, various sensors etc) - Are you interested in adjustability? Could you exploite a wide range of possible set-ups? If not, what would you need to do so, a user guide or a mechanic/race enginner? - Would you buy this car and compete in a 10-round season in the UK? How much do you think is a rational price for this car? - Are you interested in mobile apps? You could order spare parts online or check the telemetry etc. - What other cars do you think would be its biggest rivals on the market? I'm purposely not starting a poll, I'd rather start a discussion if you're in Thanks in advance, Eszter |
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23 Jul 2012, 23:10 (Ref:3110572) | #2 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,010
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Sorry for not answering any of the questions you've specifically asked but I have one point I'd like to make.
The single biggest issue I, and a number of other people already involved in other forms of motor racing have with Formula Student is one of safety: how the driver's feet are placed ahead of the axle centreline. |
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24 Jul 2012, 00:11 (Ref:3110586) | #3 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 5
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Some universites take this into account already and build cars to full FIA specification, which includes placing the drivers feet behind the axle centerline. Unfortunately by looking at the current build of the OPs vehicle, this step has been overlooked. Coupled with the fact that there appears to be no significant crashbox structure in front of the chassis (or drivers feet) then I believe a return to the drawing board should take place before an actual championship is started (I'm aware that this is a hypothetical thread, but surely these are issues that need addressing?) On hindsight , this does bring the issue of design into question. For example; to compete in a specific racing series surely the cars will need to be built to a certain number of specifications. Formula Student is about allowing student's creativity to flourish in the design of a racing vehicle, but strict regulations for an actual racing championship would surely defunct "One-Off" ideas etc?
Personally, given the current climate, I believe that there is NO market for a FSE championship. Fully fledged championships such as Formula Renault, Formula Ford amongst others are failing and these would be your closest rivals. High costs and new technology trying to be implemented at the wrong time are perturbed as being the main causes of failure. So how would you propose to create a successful FSE championship? The Indian based formula MRF championship is having to fund overseas drivers to compete in one off events (such as the Indian GP) to bring coverage to itself, and keep itself afloat in this current environment. Would a FSE championship be able to do this?? (Sorry for not answering the questions either, but I believe these questions should and could be raised at this point. Perhaps it will help produce a better quality project in the end) |
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24 Jul 2012, 06:52 (Ref:3110642) | #4 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,984
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I have a feeling that the Clubmans Register have an initiative for Universities to enter their Championship with a self designed chassis to Clubmans regs.
http://www.clubmans.org.uk/registerf...acewithus.html |
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24 Jul 2012, 16:03 (Ref:3110857) | #5 | ||
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,254
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the safety issue seems to be one that FS are simply not prepared to listen to, when i was at uni we built a FS car to blue book regulations (got it logbooked etc) simply because we didnt want to design and build what we believed to be an unsafe racecar. that was about 7 years ago and the cars still look as flimsy as ever these days
the other issue with a formula student based "series" is that it would be very difficult to police... the entire idea of formula student was that you should build a racecar for under $25000 dollars (is this amount still correct?) most universities flouted the cost side of things. for example there is no way on earth that you could commercially manufacture a carbon composite tub for that amount, yes as a one off through assistance from suppliers/sponsors, but not commercially without this help. the series would probably end up frightfully expensive -hence why formula student works.... its a one off, against like minded institutions, so it can work within goodwill and assistence of suppliers etc, only one car of each design is likely to be built. A student team could of course manufacture a car to the current (or legacy) Formula Ford regulations, nothing stopping them from doing that, infact id suggest it would be positively encouraged! |
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24 Jul 2012, 20:59 (Ref:3110956) | #6 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,549
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Another series it would be possible to design a car for is 750 Formula. Although the market is limited but should be a good place to hone ones design and build skills.
http://www.750mc.co.uk/F-750-formula.php |
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24 Jul 2012, 21:02 (Ref:3110958) | #7 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,254
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or monoposto...
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never eat belly button fluff |
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single seater |
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