Race For Efficiency
Derby’s team, called Drammo Engineering, will set off from the University’s Markeaton Street site in Derby at 4:35am on 20 June, to drive 37 miles to the University of Sheffield.
Their drive will form part of the Formula Student Diesel Eco Driving Challenge running from Tuesday to Friday (June 18-21), which is challenging 46 university teams to drive their section of a round Britain route as economically as possible. It is being run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ motorsport competition, Formula Student, and the Bosch company.
Teams’ performance driving a 1.5 litre Ford Fiesta will be monitored by onboard computers; with three awards for the most efficient city, rural and highway driving. The driving challenge began at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ London headquarters at 11am on Tuesday (June 18) and will zig-zag across Britain, due to end at the University of Aberdeen on Friday (June 21).
The University of Derby’s team includes Project Leader Matthew Day, 22, originally of Ullesthorpe, Leicestershire; Deputy Leader James Busfield, 20, of Skipton, North Yorkshire; and Design Engineers Alan Webster, 21, of Dereham, Norfolk, and David Richardson, 22, of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. All have just completed their BEng Motorsport Engineering degree course.
Matthew, who has just received a First Class Honours for his degree course, said: “It’s a great opportunity to do something a little bit different to promote a growing trend.
“In Motorsport efficiency is important, and consumption of fuel and cleanliness in combustion are becoming more and more pivotal in winning races. It is going to be very interesting to see how much efficiency can be engineered into a vehicle and how much is driven in by the user.
“I have some ideas that I can directly apply from my Advanced Powertrain course module that should help us to get the best out of the car’s engine”.
Student teams are joined in the vehicle by an AA representative, who helps with the route and economical driving tips.
Derby students will also later be taking part in Formula Student 2013, at the Silverstone racing circuit from July 3-7, which challenges universities to race a single-seat racing car they’ve designed and built over the previous 12 months.
Commenting on the Formula Student Diesel Eco Driving Challenge, Jon Hilton, Chairman of Formula Student, said: “This is a fantastic challenge which will certainly prepare all the students for July’s competition.
“It’s the first time we’ve attempted a driving challenge of this scale and I wish all the teams the best of luck.”
Bosch has said the vehicle being used for the Formula Student Diesel Eco Driving Challenge achieves lower carbon-dioxide emissions (resulting from the use of fossil fuels such as oil and linked to global warming) of 98grams per kilometre.
To follow the University of Derby team’s progress in Thursday’s Formula Student Diesel Eco Driving Challenge or of its car at July’s event at Silverstone racing circuit go to Facebook page www.facebook.com/DrammoEngineering