Between 22–28 July 2023, our team competed at Formula Student Austria in Spielberg, officially kicking off the season. During the week spent at the Red Bull Ring, we faced several challenges, but also gained invaluable experiences that will undoubtedly benefit us later on.
As with any major competition, the journey began with travelling to the venue. Our team split into two groups: those who were not required for the final testing phase travelled ahead to assist with setup and logistics. After registration, they settled into the campsite, set up tents, and prepared a warm meal for the members still testing in Budapest.
On Sunday, after unpacking, the team began the Accumulator Scrutineering. The day did not go entirely as planned, and the process could only be completed by the evening, as several issues had to be resolved to meet the requirements. The Pre-Inspection and Driver Egress also took place that day, testing whether the driver could exit the car within 5 seconds.
On Monday, we occupied our assigned box and started the Mechanical and Electrical Scrutineering. Both had to be finished on Tuesday due to issues that required fixing to pass successfully. Meanwhile, the team continued preparing for the upcoming static events.
Dynamic events began on Wednesday with Acceleration, followed by Skidpad, where both drivers managed to set timed laps. Unfortunately, we did not record a valid Autocross time. That day we also received feedback from the judges on our static event performances.
By Thursday, only one event remained: Endurance. After completing the 22 km challenge, the team cleared the box and waited for the awards ceremony.
We are proud to share that despite the long and exhausting week, our team achieved 3rd place in the Endurance event, and narrowly missed the overall podium with a 4th place finish.
Our Formula Student Austria performance was not flawless, but thanks to the extensive feedback, we learned an incredible amount. The experiences gained over the week will be essential as we continue improving and aim for even better results in future competitions.
