All Fired Up
Testing… Testing… 1.2.3…
On Saturday,23rd November, the team took SHU Racing out to Bruntingthorpe proving ground Leictershire for a day of testing, and the first time having the car on track since Silverstone in the summer. Taking the car testing has enabled our new team members to gain some hands on experience working on the car trackside, whilst also giving our newer managers an insight into what refinements need to be made for the upcoming 2020 car. It was also a great opportunity to test out some of our new concepts which will be revealed soon! With plenty of data collection and driver feedback, we have now lots of data to process to ensure we continuously develop on the success of the 2019 season.
Along with the opportunity to collect plenty of trackside data, it also offered some of our new drivers the chance to gain some much awaited track time, and what to expect from a Formula Student car. The driver line up is still being considered and will be announced closer to the summer, after more rounds of karting and testing, so keep an eye out in the coming months!
Electrifying Developments
As the design deadline is fast approaching, the team is hard at work developing and refining their designs for SHU Racing 2020. This year’s electrical department, headed by Tim Gardiner, is looking to build upon the 2019 electronics with the addition of some great new features to improve the drivability and performance of the car. The biggest addition in development is the integration of a Plex dash to give our drivers more data whilst they are out on track. With vital information including, rev counter, gear indicator, temperature readings and shift light. As such, our drivers will be able to make more informed, real time decisions. whilst also enabling our powertrain and electrical departments to collect and analyse engine performance data and make small adjustments to find the best setup for the events at Silverstone.
Working alongside the WHUBS department, managed by Rhys Collins, Tim is also in process of developing the launch and traction control to improve the cars overall performance and handling. The team will be working closely with our partner, AP racing, to implement these new additions and get the most out of our DTA ECU.
Meet the Team
The new meet the team section continues, giving you an insight into the team and who we are. This week we welcome Tim Gardiner, our Electrical, Business & Marketing Manager.
Name: Tim Gardiner
Age: 22
Course: MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Level 7)
Roles: Electrical Manager and Business & Marketing
Hobbies and Interests: Motorsport (F1, Rally and WEC), cars in general, especially
modified ones, and music; I play drums and attempt to play the guitar occasionally.
Favourite Artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Favourite Car: Mitsubishi Evolution IX
Favourite thing about Sheffield: Henderson’s Relish
Reasons for Joining SHU Racing: I love cars and motorsports, so getting to work with them
as my master’s project is amazing!