On the 11th of July the time had come! For the F0711-11 and the team the journey to the first real competition of season 2016 began. After a strenuous car journey from Stuttgart to Silverstone and the set up on the camp site the team even had the possibility to watch Formula 1 testing for one morning the day after. In the afternoon the participants were allowed arrange themselves in the respective box and start to prepare the car for the Statics and technical inspection.
Things got really serious on Thursday when a little Statics marathon awaited the team. Engineering Design, Cost Report and Business Presentation followed in immediate sequence. With the strong competition that consists of all combustion and electric cars in England, Rennteam just barely missed the spot in the finals of Engineering Design and achieved 7th place. In the Cost Report we achieved 34th place and in the Business Presentation 53rd place. The high power density among the teams showed us in the last two disciplines that we have to step on it here to play at the top in the further competitions again!
Fortunately we succeeded in the entire Scrutineering including Tilt Table, Brake Test and Noise Test already during Thursday so that we had the entire Friday to prepare ourselves and the car on the Practice Area for the dynamic disciplines. This was especially important for this year where more teams than ever before passed Scruiteneering and were thus allowed to participate in the dynamic disciplines.
On Saturday the competition continued with a very tight timetable: From 9-12 the disciplines Acceleration and Skid Pad took place. To set a time we drove an Acceleration run at 9 o’clock and then headed to Skid Pad where we set very good times with both drivers and thus ensured the fourth place as best combustion car. Due to the tight schedule we just barely missed the possibility to make use of the second Acceleration driver. Thus our first run was rated that still sufficed for a good 12th place against the electric cars.
In the afternoon we went on with Autocross. In good weather both Rennteam drivers set very good times. Ultimately we achieved a very good second place and we were only topped by the slightly faster car of TU Delft. But as usually the really big points were awarded on Sunday. Thanks to the good time in Autocross we were allowed to start in the top 5. On Sunday the weather conditions were untypically good for England. In Endurance a real neck-and-neck race took place between Rennteam, TU Delft and the Running Snails from Amberg-Weiden. All three teams could drive through without difficulties and were on about the same level in terms of speed. Rennteam asserted itself, even if only narrowly, and secured the fastest lap and the first place! In Fuel Efficiency we achieved a solid 17th place against the electric cars.
After Endurance came a shock announcement from Rescrutineering: In some vehicles irregularities were detected, which is why they were disqualified from Endurance. That also affected our main competitors that would have been on the podium with us or even ahead of us according to our forecasts. We want to show the teams our greatest respect for the achievements on the track and in the rest of the competition! Finally Rennteam won the cup for the best Overall Dynamics and also the 1st place in the overall placings.
Therefore Rennteam goes into the rest of the season with three victories in a row (FS Spain 2015, FSAE Michigan 2016 and FS United Kingdom 2016) and will make every effort to repeat these results!