MTU team compete at 2026 Formula Student race

A team from a Cork university were among a 50-strong field from all over the world taking part in this year’s IMechE Formula Student competition.

It took place at the iconic UK racetrack Silverstone last weekend and included teams form Munster Technological University (MTU) and University College Dublin (UCD).

Now in its 28th year, Formula Student – backed by the UK Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) – is a long established educational engineering competition. The programme invites university teams from around the world to design, build and race a single-seater racing car from scratch, giving third-level engineering teams real-world experience of the challenges and demands of motor racing.

RS, a global provider of industrial and electronic solutions, sponsors the EV category within the Formula Student Class, which also includes categories for internal combustion vehicles (CV) as well as hybrid vehicles. Other classes in the competition include FS-AI (artificial intelligence) and the Concept Class.

This year’s Formula Student Build Fund saw the largest response since RS established the fund six years ago, with 137 applications from 33 countries. Of the total number of applicants, 50 teams were selected to receive funding from RS including two Irish teams representing UCD and MTU who pitted their skills against teams from the UK, USA, Germany, Mexico, Singapore and many other countries.

Product and technical support

Thanks to the Formula Student Build Fund, both Irish teams were able to design and build their racing cars with the help of €1,100 worth of products from RS Ireland. The students also had access to RS’s technical resources and engineering support network, providing valuable assistance with product selection, troubleshooting and prototype development.

“We know that designing and building a Formula Student racing car is an expensive challenge, so we’re delighted to have been able to help the teams from UCD and MTU to bring their visions to life,” said Gary Bradley, Country Manager at RS Ireland.

“Of course, there’s more to Formula Student than just the engineering element. Teams also compete in areas like design, cost, presentation and project management, all while adhering to strict guidelines that require real multidisciplinary team collaboration. It’s one of the most prestigious student engineering competitions in the world and we can’t wait for the action to start this weekend.”

Alan O’Sullivan of MTU said: “MTU Formula Student is competing in Formula Student UK for the third time but the first time in the Formula Student Combustion class.

“This year, the team made the decision to switch to a combustion engine over electric which has been a huge challenge after two years of EV development, but the team has worked hard all year long and are looking forward to bringing the car to competition. RS has been vital in the building of this year's car as they have provided many key components for our electrical system and safety systems on the car.”

Harry Stevens of University College Dublin’s Formula Student team added: “The project brings together mechanical, electrical, powertrain, business and operations students, giving the team hands-on experience in real engineering design, manufacturing, testing and competition. Our latest car, E135, has been designed around a simple and reliable electric concept, with a strong focus on endurance completion, low build risk and predictable handling.”

Single board computers powering autonomous cars

This year’s Formula Student programme has seen a number of striking trends, including: