The team FSAE Unicamp came to the front and became champion of the Formula SAE Brazil 2019. The students' performance guaranteed them classification for the Formula SAE International, which takes place between May 6th and 9th at the Michigan International Speedway, a racetrack in the city of Brooklyn, in the state of Michigan. The place is famous for hosting NASCAR races. Around 3500 students, from 8 countries, will compete for the world title in the student motor racing event. The winners take home not only the trophy, but a great professional experience that opens many doors for the future.
In addition to all the technical preparation necessary for the competition in the United States, which includes improvements to the F2019 car for different conditions, such as track, weather and fuel, the team is now looking for sponsors to help the group with travel costs. The main costs are the tickets for the 20 members who will go to the competition and the transport of the car from Campinas to the race track, which requires special care. According to the group, this transport alone represents an estimated cost of between R$110 and R$120 thousand reais. Also included in the bill are student accommodation and food, car rental during the competition, as well as passport and visa costs, as this will be the first international experience for several members of the group.
To this end, FSAE Unicamp hopes to obtain the support of companies, private entities and individuals who want to contribute to the group. Contributions can be made through Unicamp Partner Program, which facilitates the donation of financial resources or movable and immovable assets to the university. Program information and forms are available on the Executive Board of Administration page (DEA). The group also created a fundraising campaign on the website Abaca$hi.
"We hadn't completed the test since 2014"
FSAE Unicamp has stood out in the FSAE Formula since 2006, the year in which the team was created. More than 200 students have already been through the group and today apply the knowledge provided by the competition in large companies around the world. This will be the 4th time that they participate in an international stage of the race. The last great result achieved by the team was in 2015, when they came in 3rd place in the acceleration test.
In the 2019 national stage, the team stood out among the 44 teams and won 1st place in the general classification. They also highlight the performance in the endurance test, the race, the most important of the entire competition. Due to technical problems in previous races, since 2014 the team had not completed the 22 km route, which they already considered a great achievement.
They were also recognized for their organization and care with the competition rules, receiving the trophy for the best evaluated team in the technical inspection that takes place before the race. "It was good not only for the trophy, but as we left the inspection tests very early, we had time to concentrate a lot on the tests that really count points, make the necessary adjustments and get the results we achieved. The main difference it was that we knew what we were going to find there, we knew what time we needed to return, when we were late, when we weren't. This, of course, was a huge difference", explains Renan Amorim Rodrigues, team captain .
Winning and innovating
Another highlight of the team was the innovation applied to the car used for the competition, the F2019. Released in October, the prototype has among its differences the chassis made of steel microalloyed with niobium, a compound that makes it more resistant in competitions. The group's victory in Formula FSAE proved the car's resistance and the advantages of using technology in the construction of prototypes. Now, the team's experience is an example of success for automakers to analyze the viability of the technology in their vehicles.
The Unicamp team will be the only representative of Brazil in the international competition. Students guarantee that they will do their best to represent the university and the entire country. "There is always great support among the teams for the one that will compete outside the country, in the world competition. What we most hope for is to represent all the teams in the country and our university well", highlights Renan.
