Coventry University Prepare For Pole Position at MIRA Test Day
It was a successful day for five university teams from across the UK yesterday – including local team, Coventry University – as they gathered at MIRA’s world-class Proving Ground to put their purpose-build Formula Student race cars to the test in a range of rigorous dynamics, speed and endurance tests.
The event attracted a total of 55 engineering students who have designed and built single seat racing cars for the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ (IMechE) Formula Student event, which takes place at Silverstone on July 9 – 13. All teams welcomed the opportunity to subject their cars to a rigorous series of tests in the 2014 ‘Learn to Win Live’ event at MIRA.
MIRA’s Proving Ground is one of the largest and most developed automotive proving grounds in the world. Supporting the Formula Student since 1998, MIRA works with the IMechE to support the teams to improve their performance and through this high-profile, exciting initiative, inspire the next generation to consider engineering as an exciting and rewarding career choice.
As the world’s largest student motorsport event, the Formula Student competition challenges Universities from across the globe to design and build racing cars in order to compete in static and dynamic events, which demonstrate their understanding and test the performance of the vehicle
Terry Spall, Commercial Director at MIRA Technology Park, said:
“We have been involved with Formula Student since 1998, and over the years we have recruited many ex-Formula Student engineers into MIRA as we really do place a high value on the calibre of graduate engineers that come through the competition.
“The Formula Student competition produces practically minded engineers with good project management skills, the ability to work effectively in a team and strive for success in a very competitive environment and also engineers with a stronger level of commercial awareness. We’re delighted to be supporting the competition again in 2014.”
Jon Hilton, Chairman of Formula Student, said
“Learn to Win Live at MIRA is a brilliant opportunity for teams to get vital feedback and test experience just weeks before the main Formula Student competition. MIRA is an excellent facility and we’re delighted that, as Formula Student sponsors, they’ve again offered teams the chance to put their cars through the kind of rigorous testing which could make all the difference at Silverstone.”
Adam Clark, 22, Team Leader of Coventry University’s ‘Phoenix Racing’, said:
“For the first time we’re running an electric car in Formula Student, so the event has given us a great opportunity to see where we stand.
“It has been a real learning curve for us and the project has presented a number of challenges, which we’ve worked hard to address. We are quietly confident, however, and have our fingers crossed for the main Formula Student competition next month.”
