In the few months since the previous issue of the USM newsletter, some major changes have taken place: we’ve shaken up the team’s management structure, set ambitious new targets and even tidied the office.

2011/12 USM Team

As a direct result of the work done during the previous season on building up the business side of the team, there are now three senior USM management roles.

The man in charge is Richard Wood, our Team Manager. Woody has overall responsibility for the running of the team, ensuring that USM not only compete successfully at the 2012 competitions but are also well placed to continue into 2013.

As well as co-ordinating an ever-expanding team and conducting all official competition and university business, Woody will be making sure that USM12 has the power of as many (working) horses as possible.

Now into his second year as USM’s

Technical Director,

Gvidas ‘Jock’

Kiseliovas is tasked with delivering the team’s most successful vehicle to date, on time and on budget, as well as providing light entertainment and the occasional cup of tea.

Toby Sandison is USM’s first ever Commercial Director, with responsibility for overseeing the promotion and business planning of the team. As nobody has ever done this before, Toby will be more or less making it up as he goes along.

Woody, Jock and Toby are supported by three deputies, with the intention of building up management experience within the team to ensure a smooth transition when the current final year students graduate.

USM12 Design

An end-of-season review session following the team’s return from Germany formed the basis of the design intent for USM12.

Recognising that a few weeks of driver training and car set-up time is far more beneficial than shaving another few grams off a few components, the main focus of our 2012 efforts is to have USM12 completed at least a month before the UK competition

WWeellccoommee ttoo tthhee ffiirrsstt

iissssuuee ooff UUSSMM’’ss 22001122

nneewwsslleetttteerr!! TThhiiss iissssuuee

iinnttrroodduucceess tthhee tteeaamm

wwhhoo wwiillll rreepprreesseenntt

SSttrraatthhccllyyddee tthhiiss yyeeaarr,,

ttaakkeess aa llooookk bbaacckk aatt

tthhee eevveennttss wwee

aatttteennddeedd iinn 22001111 aanndd

oouuttlliinneess oouurr ppllaannss ffoorr

22001122..

IInn tthhiiss iissssuuee::

22001111//1122 TTeeaamm

UUSSMM1122 DDeessiiggnn

GGaallaa DDiinnnneerr

IIRRCC RRaallllyy ooff SSccoottllaanndd

KKnnoocckkhhiillll TTrraacckk DDaayy

CCoommpp RReeggiissttrraattiioonn

BBuussiinneessss CCoommppeettiittiioonn

UUnniivveerrssiittyy TToouurrss

SSppoonnssoorrss ffoorr 22001122

University of Strathclyde Motorsport Formula Student

USM 2011/12 Newsletter Issue 1

usm@strath.ac.uk

formulastudent.strath.ac.uk

in July, allowing enough testing time for the team and drivers to learn how to get the most out of the car.

Our other key aim is reliability. This has always been something that has been strongly emphasised, but after the disappointment of two 2011 Enduro failures, even more effort will be put into testing and proving every component prior to installation on the car.

USM’s stated aim for 2012 is to produce a reliable, low cost, high performance vehicle suitable for autocross-style events. USM12 will be based on an evolution of previous designs, with the main changes including a more tightly packaged chassis and suspension configuration, a move to a baffled wet sump, to eliminate the costs and reliability issues with the dry sump system, and the inclusion of a semi-automatic gearshift system to improve driveability.

A Variable Geometry Intake System is being developed by senior members of the team as part of their fifth year project. By adjusting intake runner lengths based on engine RPM, torque can be improved across the whole rev range.

In keeping with our early build intentions, manufacture of the USM12 chassis has already begun. Our thanks go to new partners Ewart Engineering and

Barnshaws for their help in bending our single-tube front and main roll hoops, and to long-time supporter Lasered Components for cutting our sheet steel jigs.

A box full of bearings has arrived from the Schaeffler Group, who support the team through their INA FAG brand, without which nothing on our car would rotate – thank you!

As final suspension geometry is locked in and component designs are finalised, USM12’s chassis will be taking shape over the coming weeks, and the team will be working hard to make sure early build targets are met.

Gala Dinner

Once again, USM were delighted to be asked to attend the 2011 Strathclyde Gala Dinner, where our car was displayed to over 500 guests, including representatives from 52 companies.

A considerable amount of interest was shown in both the team and car, no oil was dropped on the expensive Hilton carpets and the team came away with a number of promising leads for exploring sponsorship opportunities.

USM would like to thank the Gala Committee for organising the biggest and most successful Strathclyde networking event to date and for inviting us to take part.

IRC Rally of Scotland

Back in October, fifteen members of the team were invited to attend the scrutineering event of the IRC Rally of Scotland as guests of RSAC Motorsport.

A bit of a change from our regular diet of slick tyres and bike engines, the chance to have a good poke around these 260bhp fire-breathing monsters was fascinating. We were also free to wander around the service park at Perth Airport and chat to all the teams present, including a tour of a rally-prepped Impreza by rally legend Manfred Stohl and a Q&A session with IRC rising star Thierry Neuville, now racing for Citroen in the WRC.

A shortage of volunteer marshals for the initial night stage at Carron Valley meant the team were able to help out with the important task of watching 40 or so roaring, popping rally machines hurtle through the forest in the pitch dark. Thanks to Alison Clark and the RSAC for having us along!

Knockhill Track Day

Building on the success of last year’s event, USM joined forces with Knockhill Racing Circuit

once again to host the 2011 Scottish Formula Student Track Day.

The day featured presentations and live demonstrations on track from four Scottish teams, including Dundee, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Strathclyde, and was attended by over 70 people, including around 25 guests.

A short segment on STV preceded the event, using footage from 2010, and feedback from all who attended was very positive.

Unfortunately, during a testing session following the end of the event, one of Dundee’s drivers sustained serious head injuries in a collision. Thanks to the medical team on site, he was stabilised and taken to hospital, and has made a good recovery.

As a natural consequence, USM undertook a full review of our own safety procedures, and are now better prepared to prevent and if necessary react to any such incidents.

Comp Registration

After completing the registration rules quiz in a blistering 1min 23sec, USM are delighted to have secured a slot at the 2012 Formula Student Germany competition, as well as the title of

usm@strath.ac.uk

formulastudent.strath.ac.uk

Second Fastest Team in the World. We intend to savour it while it lasts.

The 2012 FSG competition will take place at the Hockenheimring from the 31st July – 5th August, and a total of 110 teams, both combustion and electric, will take part.

USM has also been accepted to compete in the 2012 Formula Student UK event, due to take place at Silverstone from the 11th-15th July.

With a busy summer ahead, the team will be working flat out to ensure that this year is our most successful yet.

Business Competition

One new event for 2012 will be our Business Presentation competition, run in partnership with consultancy sponsor Accenture.

The business plan presentation at Formula Student competitions is an event where USM have traditionally been underprepared and one where there is considerable potential for picking up more points.

With the backing of Accenture, the team plan to hold a presentation workshop followed by a competition to produce and present the best business plan for marketing USM12.

The competition will be open to all Strathclyde students, and we look forward to seeing the

innovative ideas and presentation styles developed.

University Tours

As part of our funding agreement with the University’s MAE and EEE departments, USM members have been on hand to give short presentations on the team and Formula Student programme to course applicants and their parents, further raising awareness of our activities and hopefully helping to secure the future of the team!

Sponsors for 2012

USM could not exist without the support of external sponsors, and with economic conditions forcing many companies to tighten their belts the team are always on the lookout for potential partners.

The team are pleased to announce that sponsor Michael Wood Pharmacy has increased funding for 2012 to become our largest external financial sponsor. We’re hugely grateful for this support, and intend to make the most of the opportunity.

This year we welcome on board IPG Kinematics and Ricardo, who provide software to the team, 3D Connexion, who have donated 10 3D space mice for CAD work, East Ayrshire Car Club, who have agreed to allow the team to test at Kames Motorsport Complex, and Barnshaws and Ewart Engineering, as mentioned. To all our sponsors – thank you for your support! We’ll keep you posted.