Formula Student

Bournemouth University Formula Student: a team I founded on my own, grew to 30 members and took to its debut at Silverstone.

Role
Founder · Team Principal · CTO and Head of Suspensions
Context
Bournemouth University
Year
2023-26
Tools
SolidWorks CAD and Simulation
SolidWorks render of the full Bournemouth Formula Student car

From one member to Silverstone

I founded the team alone in November 2023, with support from Dr Mihai Dupac, and grew it to 30 members. I was Team Principal and Head of Aero in the first year and Team Principal in the second, then handed over and became CTO and Head of Suspensions for our debut season at FSUK 2026.

FSUK 2026 results

17th of 31 Concept Class overall Our first time competing, against established teams.
Top 10 Business Plan Presentation I presented at all three static events.
11th Cost and Manufacturing Backed by a cost reduction report the judges could check line by line.

Engineering work

  • AFull-vehicle CAD. Built the complete ~405-part assembly by hand in SolidWorks and brought the V1 chassis up to the current rules.
  • BDesign report audit. Checked the Engineering Design Report against the rules before submission and found five compliance defects, including a 1491.75 mm wheelbase against the 1525 mm minimum.
  • CCost engineering. Cut projected build cost by 10.1% through six justified changes, including replacing carbon-fibre parts with balsa and glass-fibre composites, an approach borrowed from the de Havilland Mosquito.
  • DSuspension FEA. Static FEA on the wishbones and wheel hub in SolidWorks Simulation under [braking / cornering / bump] loads; [outcome, e.g. minimum factor of safety or mass saved].
The Bournemouth Formula Student team, six members, standing arms-crossed on the grass at Silverstone with the grandstand and track behind them
FEA von Mises stress plot of the lower wishbone, peak 41.9 MPa against a 350 MPa yield strength
FEA von Mises stress plot of the upper and lower wishbones with the wheel hub, peak 32.4 MPa against a 350 MPa yield strength

What it taught me

[One or two sentences in your own words, e.g. on running a team with no budget history, or what you would design differently on the car.]