IMechE Formula Student

Lots of little friends around Silverstone for #formulastudent #fridayfun

Up close with just a few of the awesome #formulastudent cars at Silverstone - who's looking forward to going to Silverstone this year? #throwback

We are delighted to be involved with Motorsport UK's Inclusion Hub, a network of organisations that are passionate about making motorsport more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/eihssvuk

To the worldwide #formulastudent family of teams, fans and alumni: from all of us we wish you and yours a #HappyNewYear and the very best for 2025; may your cars be lightweight, fast, and reliable :)

Wishing all our #formulastudent followers, friends, and their families a very #MerryChristmas this year - hope you are enjoying the day as much as we are!

Phew, we made it; our office is now closed until 6th January 2025, when we'll be in touch with #Formulastudent teams for the next phase of registration for #FS2025 at Silverstone (we can't wait!)

Another good #formulastudent wing #fridayfun

Just some of my many #formulastudent memories from this summer (last #throwback of the year too)

A quick update for anyone looking to volunteer at #FS2025 next summer: applications will open by end of January 2025. Keep an eye on our social media channels for updates to join our team of experts and help put on the biggest and most exciting event in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)'s calendar!

Ever wondered why F1 teams spend £6M a year on gearboxes? A few weeks ago, I got unprecedented access to a development gearbox at Alpine's factory. What makes it special? It's completely see-through. Here's what I learned: First, the incredible numbers: - 1,000 horsepower flowing through it - 4,000 gear changes per race - 40kg total weight - 500+ individual components - Operating at 100°C+ But here's what fascinated me... The clear casing isn't just for show. It's actually a sophisticated testing tool. The engineers use it to watch oil flow through the system in real-time. "We can observe exactly how the oil moves at different speeds," the Alpine technician told me. "It's critical for preventing catastrophic failures." Think about this: Each F1 gearbox must last 3,000 miles under extreme conditions. That's 1/50th the lifespan of your road car's gearbox -- while handling 5x the power. The engineering gets even cleverer... The gear arrangement isn't sequential (1,2,3,4...). Instead, they position high-torque gears near the bearings for better support. Fun fact: There's a hilariously tiny reverse gear that drivers can only access by diving into the menu in their steering wheel. The most impressive part? One tiny oil pump (moving just 1 litre of oil) keeps this entire system alive at 15,000+ RPM. Why does this matter? Every gram matters in F1. Make the gearbox too strong? You're slow everywhere. Too light? It fails. It's the perfect example of engineering on the edge -- where reliability meets absolute performance. Want to know more about F1 engineering? Let me know in the comments what system you'd like me to break down next.