Team Details

The RIT Formula Racing team is back in Germany since 2013. F23 is the culmination of the team's monocoque design efforts of the last four years. The main goals of this year's design were reliability and simplicity. F23 has more driving time on it than the lat three cars combined, and as already had a strong competition finish in Michigan this year. RIT Racing is looking to do even better here at Hockenheim!

The RIT Formula Racing Team builds upon last season’s Endurance victory at Formula Student Germany with our 2013 entrant to the Formula Student Series. A product of extensive simulation, design, and testing, the RIT vehicle exhibits many unique characteristics. A carbon fiber monocoque utilizing unidirectional fiber maintains sufficient stiffness while significantly reducing weight. A lightweight aerodynamic package verified through wind tunnel testing generates 330 N of downforce at Skidpad speed. The vehicle’s entire braking system is custom designed in house, allowing for component level optimization. The turbocharged single-cylinder engine is light, fuel efficient and produces 75% of its peak torque across a very broad RPM range. Composite driveshafts and a lightweight differential allow for a mass efficient, tunable drivetrain. These features have created a race vehicle with a focus on scoring potential, performance, efficiency, and drivability, a winning combination for FSG.

The RIT Formula SAE Racing Team has competed in thirty-eight Formula SAE and Formula Student competitions on three different continents. In twenty years, RIT has been awarded numerous accolades, including overall titles in the US, England, and Australia. In the 2011 competition season RIT placed 5th at Formula Student Germany with strong performances in individual events including a victory in Acceleration, 3rd place in Autocross, and 4th place in Skidpad. The goal of the RIT Formula SAE Racing Team is to produce a winning car for the FSAE competitions. To achieve that, the racecar must be fast, reliable, easy to drive, and efficient. An extensive simulation effort guided the design process. Physical testing was performed using both destructive and non-destructive methods. Dynamometers were used to properly tune the engine, dampers, and brakes. An efficient testing plan was designed in order to best utilize the spring season to validate critical design aspects of the vehicle.

Rich with history and tradition, the RIT Formula Racing Team has competed in 36 Formula SAE and Formula Student competitions on three different continents. In 19 years, RIT has been awarded numerous accolades, including overall titles in the US, England, and Australia. During the 2010 competition season the team was able to place among the top 5 in each of the 3 competitions attended including a victory at FSAE West. This year marks a milestone for RIT FSAE with two major changes: a carbon fiber monocoque front half and a new powerplant, the 2008 Yamaha YZF-R6R. Accompanying these changes is a completely RIT designed braking system, a unique differential, the Torvec IsoTorque, a refined aerodynamics package, and a number of driver aids including paddle shifting, hand clutch actuation, and traction and launch control.

Rich with history the RIT FSAE Racing Team has competed in 34 FSAE and FS competitions on three different continents. In 18 years, RIT has been awarded numerous accolades, including overall titles in the US, England, and Australia. The goal of the RIT FSAE Racing Team is to design and build a fast, simple, and reliable prototype racing car for the non-professional weekend autocrosser. The car needs to be affordable, easy to maintain, and dependable on race day. Safety systems and ergonomics must ensure a secure and comfortable environment for the driver. In addition, aesthetics, fit and finish are critical to attracting the potential buyer. To fulfill these needs, the race car was modeled in Pro/Engineer and iterative analysis was conducted using Pro/Mechanica, ANSYS, and CFdesign. Many components were also physically tested using both destructive and non-destructive methods. The car then underwent extensive testing and tuning to validate design aspects and guarantee reliability.

The design of RIT's 2009 Formula SAE car focused on building a fast, lightweight, and reliable vehicle. The car is powered by a Honda CBR600 powerplant, with a custom developed differential for maximum tractive effort. To aid the driver, an enhanced traction control and paddle shift system has been designed into the vehicle. The vehicle sports an RIT designed and manufactured custom braking system, and the suspension utilizes an Ohlins adjustable damper setup. To enhance cornering and braking capabilities, an undertray was designed for the vehicle and is capable of producing significant aerodynamic loads. The vehicle underwent more than 2 months of testing and tuning, utilizing an extensive and removable data acquisition system, to optimize performance.

The RIT Formula SAE Racing Team is a group of approximately 35 undergraduate university students from the Rochester Institute of Technology devoted to designing, fabricating, racing, and promoting a high performance formula-style racing vehicle. At the Formula SAE competition this past May in Brooklyn, Michigan, RIT joined 121 entrants from around the world and captured second place in cost and acceleration, and third place in skidpad and autocross. The team looks to carry this success into the third annual Formula Student Germany event, where the competition looks to be even tougher than in Michigan. A focus on craftsmanship and quality has allowed RIT to be a leader in Formula SAE through out the world, garnering seventeen top-ten finishes at competitions in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. RIT’s success would not be possible without the support of many industry partners who leverage the team’s global name and reputation.