FEST09: introduction

A new Formula Student car was conceived in autumn 2008. Sticking with the established naming pattern, the new car was to be dubbed FEST09. The designers of the car gained from the experience from FEST08, and weight reduction and engine tuning were seen as main priorities. The work includes the analysis and optimisation of all the technical solutions used on the car. The core principles of welded spaceframe and Yamaha engine remained, however the new spaceframe was completely revised and became significantly lighter.

A noticeable amount of parts have been design by students themselves, and considerable percentage of those have been manufactured on site as well, including the numerous carbon fiber panels. FEST09 weighes 214 kg, weight reduction of 42 kg (or 16,4%) is achieved by optimisation of the design and useage of lighter materials. Engine development has resulted in new manifolds and camshafts offering more power and better elasticity on low and middle part of the power band.