Formula Manipal

Season 2007-08

FM08 participated at FSAE Italy in 2008 at the Ferrari Fiorano Circuit in Italy. It was the only Asian team participating at the competition. The car cleared all the static events. The team secured an overall position of 28th and stood 17th in the cost event.

Comments

"A supreme first year performance. I congratulate Formula Manipal".

"The fastest Indian FSAE car I have seen…".

Awards

"Farthest Travelled Team" Award.

Season 2008-09

Post season 2008, the team started its plan of action with the review of the last year’s prototype, its shortcomings and its plus points,and setting the goals to be achieved by the technical and management teams. The team put all its efforts in examining the tiniest details to be taken care of, and thus laying a solid foundation for a fruitful year to follow. FM09 was sent to U.K. to ablaze the Silverstone F1 track. The team managed to reduce the wheelbase by 25% and the weight of the car by 16% compared to last year. Every design decision was taken keeping in mind the reliability, cost-effectiveness and ease of manufacturing of the component. The team secured an overall position of 65/88 and 10/88 in the cost event.

Comments

"The car is the most well-engineered Indian car I have come across till date. The team has drawn on previous experience and has the potential to excel".

Season 2009-10

The FM-X participated in FS Austria held at Wachauring, Austria in 2010. The design process of FM-X began with the aim of completing all dynamic events with competitive scores. Performance improvements were made with the utilization of facilities like TTC tyre data, extensive dyno tuning and track testing along with an improved data acquisition system. Non-traditional methods like laser cutting and water jet cutting were used extensively for manufacturing components. The team obtained an overall position of 27th and secured the 4th position in the cost event. Also the FM-X was the “Lightest Indian FSAE car” at the competition.

Awards

"Most Motivated Team" Award.

Season 2010-11

The team participated at FSAE Italy 2011 held at Riccardo Paletti Circuit, Italy in 2011 with the FMXI. After receiving the award for the ‘Most Motivated Team’ at FS Austria in 2010, the teamed returned to India and began work on the car for season 2011. The design focus was on weight reduction, improving handling and enhancing the overall performance of the car. The team did a lot of tuning and testing on the car and even held several track days. As an outcome of the installation of a new braking system, a reliable DAQ system, improved aerodynamics and testing, the team performed well at the event and stood 16th in the cost event.

Season 2012-13

After the successful season of FMXI, the 2013 Season team decided to take a break for a year to build a light weight, faster and more ergonomic car. The team was able to successfully incorporate electro-pneumatic gear shifting along with a self-designed driveline. The team also improved its data acquisition system and a lot of components for the 2013 car were manufactured in-house.

In 2013, Formula Manipal team aced the registration quiz for Formula Student Germany 2013 by clearing it in less than 72 seconds, thereby becoming the first team in the world to qualify for the event. The event was held at Hockenheimring, Germany in the end of July. The team stood 2nd in the cost report, becoming the first Indian team to get a podium finish in that season. The team cleared technical inspection on the very first day and performed well in the dynamic events. The FMX3 achieved an acceleration timing of 4.62 seconds.The team produced a better result in Formula Student Czech Republic 2013. Here the team created history by becoming the only Indian team to complete the endurance event while incorporating electro-pneumatic gear shifting, fetching an overall rank of 9th in the competition. Furthermore, it was the fastest Indian car in the competition with an acceleration of 4.51 seconds improving its best performance by 0.11 seconds. This was the first time in the history of Formula Manipal that their car participated in and completed all events (Dynamic) at a Formula Student Competition.

Season 2013-14

After a podium finish at Formula Student Germany 2013 in the Cost Analysis Event, the season 2014 team successfully completed the registration for both Formula Student Germany and Formula Student Czech Republic 2014. The team headed to Hockenheimring, Germany in the end of July 2014 where they easily cleared the Technical Inspection and the Tilt Test and also competed successfully in all the static events and finished 31st out of the 74 participating teams in the Business Plan Presentation. The FMX4 could not compete in the Dynamic events due to a sudden and unfortunate engine failure which could not be fixed in time. However, the team bought another engine in Germany as it was easily available and more economically feasible. The FMX4 then went to CzechRing, Czech Republic with a new engine aiming to blaze through all events. The team cleared all parts of the Technical Scrutiny with ease and also completed all the static events with commendable results. The car completed the Acceleration event with a timing of 4.81 seconds and Skidpad event with a timing of 8.120s. The car blazed through AutoCross with a timing of 71.710s. Unfortunately, the team could complete only half of the endurance due to a bent suspension bolt in the rear LHS pick-up point. Having competed at two international competitions, the team set about testing the car rigorously after it arrived home.

At the next competition for the 2014 Season, Formula Design Challenge 2015, which was held at Kari Motor Speedway, Coimbatore, Formula Manipal became the first team to complete all parts of the Technical Scrutiny. Their performances in the Static events were commendable having attained a healthy 5th and 6th position in Business Presentation and Cost Analysis events and also bagging a podium in the Engineering Design with a 3rd Place finish. The FMX4 went on to break the existing National Record among all Indian FSAE Teams for Acceleration with a timing of 4.19s. The very next day, FMX4 clocked another great time of 5.76s in Skidpad where all the competitors could only manage 6+ sec. The same day, Formula Manipal finished 3rd in the Autocross event. On the last day for dynamic events, Formula Manipal stood 2nd in the Endurance and Efficiency events becoming the only team at the event to complete all the Static and Dynamic events and also finishing on the podium for all Dynamic events. During Endurance, the FMX4 was also the fastest car on track with the best lap time of 83.95s. Formula Manipal went on to win the most number of trophies, a total of seven and clinched the 2nd Position overall.

Season 2016

After taking a break for Season 2015, and having won many laurels at the Formula Design Challenge 2015, Formula Manipal's next car, the FMX6 participated in Formula Student Czech Republic 2016 and Formula Student Germany 2016. The FMX6 design wise was far superior to its predecessors, having switched to 10 inch rims and successfully successfully implemented a self-designed, Aluminum Honeycomb Impact Attenuator and dry sump lubrication system.

The competition in Czech started out very well with Formula Manipal clearing the technical inspection and completing all static events successfully. In the Autocross event, there was an unfortunate complication with an engine causing it to fail. This resulted in the FMX6 not being able to compete in the autocross and endurance events. The team was the best Indian team in the competition securing an overall position of 16th in the competition with 5th place in the cost event.

The problem was quickly solved and the car was up and running in time for Formula Student Germany. Formula Manipal showed commendable performances in all static events, technical inspection, autocross and acceleration. Unfortunately, competing in the endurance eluded the FMX6 again as a fuel leak that came to notice during the pre-endurance inspection couldn't be fixed in time.

The team is currently back in Manipal working on the car to compete in Formula Bharat 2017.