Formula SAE (FSAE) is a competition organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The competition is open to engineering faculties worldwide and consists of the design, construction, and testing of an open wheeled race car. The cars are constructed according to engine and frame limitations that promote engineering creativity. All cars must pass through a 96 point technical inspection before being allowed to compete. The cars are built over a time period of one school year and are taken to annual competitions with 130 colleges and universities from North and South America, Asia, Australia, and Europe.

The competition requires tens of thousands of hours from the Queen's FSAE team and provides valuable real world experience that can be directly applied in the automotive, as well as other, engineering sectors in post graduate pursuits. Participants are also accountable for the finances and external relations of the team on top of the technical design, manufacture, and test schedule.

Competition Criteria Weightings

Competition Break-down

Design Presentation - 150 points

It's not an engineering design competition for nothing. Teams must explain and justify every detail of their car to judges representing every side of the automotive industry, from motor sports to passenger cars. Imagine a high profile science fair mixed with an auto show and you have an idea of what students present. Years of research, analysis, and testing can be picked apart in minutes by brilliant judges that make you consider every detail of your car.

Business Case - 175 points

Cost - 100 points

Image that we were going to produce 1000 of our cars for retail sale this is the scenario that defines the cost report. We must compile and submit a comprehensive report detailing the exact manufacturing costs of every part of the car from raw metal costs to installation. Considering the costs of a project is important in teaching us the business side of engineering as well as managing our own team budget.

Sales Presentation - 75 points

So you've spent a year developing a prototype race car that you want to sell, but you still have a problem, you need a company to invest in your design. This is where the sales presentation picks up, with students presenting an in-depth business case to a panel of mock executives.

Students must convince them that our car can be marketed and manufactured profitably and that our design best meets the demands of the target market we have they have selected to enter into.

Dynamic Events - 675 points

Acceleration - 75 points

Just how fast is our car off the line? Try 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds. The acceleration event is a 75 m sprint where the best time wins. Engine tuning - Pneumatic Shifting - Traction Control - It all comes together to rocket our car across the tarmac.

Skid Pad - 50 points

The Skid Pad event measures the cars ability to corner and our cars do so with ease. Pulling 1.6 G's around the skid pad figure 8 causes drivers to be pushed against their restraints by hundreds of pounds!

Autocross - 150 points

Autocross serves as a qualifying lap for endurance. Each driver completes two laps of a fast-paced autocross circuit complete with hairpin turns, chicanes, slaloms, and straightaways.

Endurance - 300 points

The Ultimate test of our Car is presented by the Endurance event which is worth almost 1/3 our entire score. As the name suggests this one is tough and only about half the 120 teams manage to finish the 22 km race each year.

Endurance puts cars through an intense autocross circuit where they will reach speeds of over 100 kph many times over 28 laps and 2 drivers. With a driver change at the midpoint and many cars on the track at once this race is the real deal and its winner always finishes high in the competition.

Visit our Media section to watch the Q10 compete in endurance at Michigan international speedway. here

Fuel Economy - 100 points

A clear reflection of the changing priorities in automotive design, teams must design their cars with fuel consumption in mind. This is surely an important consideration students will encounter if they go on to work in the auto industry.