Rijeka and Split Arrive in Mičevec with Electric Formula Cars
RiTeh Racing Team and FESB Racing Team represent Croatia at the largest European Formula Student competition, which brought together 94 teams from 24 countries.
RiTeh Racing Team and FESB Racing Team represent Croatia at the largest European Formula Student competition, which brought together 94 teams from 24 countries.
Two Croatian student teams, RiTeh Racing Team from Rijeka and FESB Racing Team from Split, have arrived in Mičevec for this year's Formula Student Alpe Adria competition. According to City Portal VG, both teams brought electric race cars that they have spent months designing, building, and testing.
The event runs from August 18 to 23, and organizers report that it has gathered 94 teams from 24 countries and more than 2,500 young participants. Tibor Kezelj, the event organizer, emphasizes that this year's edition is the largest so far.
"This year, we have become the largest event of its kind in Europe, and we are proud to represent the entire engineering community and the community of young professionals in this way."
Kezelj also described how the competition unfolds. "In the first three days, we check vehicle safety. After that come the static events, where judges from the very top of the automotive industry come to us. From Thursday to Sunday, everything the students presented to the judges goes on the track, and that's when you see how their development works in practice."
Gabrijel Vincek, a master's student in electrical engineering at the Faculty of Engineering in Rijeka and a member of the Rijeka team, has devoted the past year and a half to developing the electric battery.
"For the past year and a half, I've mostly worked on the development and design of our electric battery. This is our first successful electric car, and we're satisfied with its design."
Vincek points out that a major challenge is that students have to master a lot of necessary knowledge during the very process of building the car. "It was quite challenging. You have to learn a lot on your own. You build something, find a flaw, fix it, and that's how you keep improving. I'm very grateful to the whole team, the faculty, and my parents for their great support."
FESB Racing Team from Split has also made the switch to electric power this year, after three generations of internal combustion engine cars. Hrvoje Dražić, a member of the Split team, says they are especially pleased that the competition in Mičevec is close by.
"We came to this competition with our first electric formula. So far, we've had three generations of internal combustion engine cars, and now we've made the leap to electric power. Since this competition is close to us, we can bring more younger members who are just getting familiar with such competitions."
Croatian students are up against teams from countries with more people and financial resources, but Dražić says that doesn't stop them from striving to be as competitive as possible. "We come from a small country, and we don't have as many people or as much funding as some other teams, but we try to be as competitive as we can. You need a bit of luck for a good result, but, as we say, you have to provoke luck."
Formula Student is not just a race. Students are responsible for the entire process of building their vehicles, from design to assembly, and before the competition, they must pass technical inspections and expert evaluations. For the students from Rijeka and Split, Mičevec is the place where months of work are finally put to the test.
