Laura Kevrić Builds the 'Brain' of a Student Race Car
The 25-year-old FESB student and FESB Racing Team member is in charge of the key electronic systems of the car that will compete at the Bugatti Rimac track from August 17 to 23.
The 25-year-old FESB student and FESB Racing Team member is in charge of the key electronic systems of the car that will compete at the Bugatti Rimac track from August 17 to 23.
While most students spend their summer months on vacation, 25-year-old Laura Kevrić from Šibenik spends her days in the workshop. As a first-year master's student in Electronics and Computer Engineering at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FESB) in Split and a member of the FESB Racing Team, she has devoted the past few weeks to soldering and testing the electronic circuit boards that form the 'brain' of the student race car.
Her work will soon be put to the ultimate test. From August 17 to 23, 2026, the international engineering competition Formula Student Alpe Adria will take place at the Bugatti Rimac track in Mičevac near Velika Gorica. According to Slobodna Dalmacija, this year's edition is the largest so far, with a record 90 teams from 24 countries hitting the track.
As Laura herself points out, it was electronics that drew her in because of the possibility of creating something from scratch. "Throughout my studies, electronics increasingly appealed to me because I'm fascinated by the ability to turn individual components into a system that actually works. It's the same with the race car. Every part has its role, and only together do they form a whole," Laura told Slobodna Dalmacija.
She first heard about FESB Racing during student recruitment events, and the cars on display at the faculty further sparked her interest in the project. She joined the team to apply the knowledge gained in lectures to real-world practice. "I wanted to apply what we learn at university to something tangible, not just keep it all theoretical. Formula Student gives you the chance to see how other engineering disciplines think and work, and to take part in developing a car from the initial idea to hitting the track," she explained.
In the team, Laura is responsible for one of the most critical electronic systems. She works on soldering, designing, and testing circuit boards, including the BMS Master board, which is crucial for monitoring and managing the battery system of the electric race car. Because even the tiniest mistake can lead to hours of extra work, this role demands exceptional accuracy, making the final weeks before the competition fly by.
Still, she says, it's precisely this pressure that reveals the team's strength. "Being part of FESB Racing means much more than just working on the car. I've learned to collaborate with people from different disciplines, handle deadlines and pressure, and see how a detail you've been working on for weeks eventually becomes part of something much bigger. Formula Student brings a lot of stress, but also that moment when all the effort makes sense-when the car we've built together finally hits the track. That's what motivates us to be even better every year," she emphasized.
Formula Student Alpe Adria is regarded as one of the most important student engineering competitions in Europe. Teams go through the entire vehicle development process, from design and cost optimization to performance testing, business presentations, and technical evaluations. The visitor program will run from August 20 to 23, 2026, giving the public the chance to see dynamic on-track disciplines, the premiere of autonomous vehicles, the Alumni Cup, and numerous side events from partners and sponsors.
