j_smith666

Hi Guys,

I'm teaching at a school which is just about to enter the formula schools competition. I am a highly skilled engineer and machinist but have no experience of R/C vehicles - I do have in depth automotive and engine tuning experience. I have stuck the rules and requlations underneath and wondered if any of you experts might be able to give me advice on the spec of my vehicle. It seems as if the rules are quite free, engine mods are allowed, as are brakes, 4wd, exotic fuels etc.

Look forward to hearing your ideas...

Regards.......

John

Formula Schools Rules and Regulations

The following Rules and Regulations are for the Formula Schools Engineering Competition. The competition is open to all pupils up to the end of year 11, with a strict upper age limit. No sixth form students to participate directly but skills and knowledge gained by using older pupils as mentors is to be encouraged.
The Rules and Regulations are designed to enable the teams to compete on a reasonably level playing field, whilst encouraging technical innovation, without being too restrictive.

The organisers will be happy to give their interpretation of any aspect of the rules should the need arise, during the build phase as well as on race day, reflecting the spirit of the competition.

Formula

No kit cars are allowed. This would be in direct conflict with the spirit and aims of the competition. In brief, cars are to be approximately 1/8th scale, scratch built. Stock components may be used, but not complete assemblies.
Cars will be scrutinised prior to and on race day to ensure they have been scratch built and the following guidelines have been followed:

Engine Irvine 20 ABC
Cars may only be powered by one engine, but the engine may be modified provided it remains identifiably the same
Chassis Scratch built
There are no limits to construction, provided the whole car falls within the dimensions given in these regulations
Body No restrictions
There are no restrictions on the body shape or construction, but the body shape must be identifiably a car
Suspension Formula Schools kit or scratch built
Any geometry can be used
Drive Train/Gearing No restrictions
The car can be front, rear or four wheel drive
Tyres & Wheels
No limits on tyre and wheel width, material and design
Radio
Radio gear will be allocated by the organisers. This is the only radio gear that can be used on race day. Prior to race day the choice is left to participants.
Fuel
No restrictions
Dimensions
Inclusive of all body projections and aerodynamic features, except the radio aerial. Approximately 1/8 scale construction
All in mm Max Min
Length 600 400
Width 300 200

Weight
There are no weight restrictions
Car Identification
Numbers will be allocated by the organisers and must be easily identifiable throughout the race. If a car loses its bodywork during a race it will not accrue any further laps

Race Day

Race Day will take place at Silverstone.

The overall winner will be the team gaining most points from a combination of race results (30 points max) and scrutineering (120 points max). There are a total of 150 points on offer. In the event of a tie the team with the most race points will win.

All races are time trials; the race winner will be the team completing the most laps.

Qualifying Sessions
You will have the chance to qualify for the Grand Prix in two rounds that are to be run throughout the day. When racing in your heat you will be in amongst a mix of teams, both new ‘rookie’ and previous competitors. In your heat you are not only racing the teams on the track with you, but the whole entry field. The top 20 teams with the highest number of laps from your best qualifying session will go forward to give you entry to the final Grand Prix. i.e. Cars are racing the whole field in their heats.

There will be a best non qualifiers heat for cars that did not qualify for the Grand Prix in the first session, giving two further places in the Grand Prix final.
The Grand Prix will comprise of three seven minute race sessions with two 5 minute pit stops.

Teams may restart and work on their car during the race so long as they do not hinder the other competitors and they are not seen to gain an advantage when the car is placed back on the track. If a car has to be withdrawn from the track, it must restart from the pit lane.

All cars brought to race day must have been built as part of the engineering challenge. Only one car may be used per race (ie a damaged car cannot be swapped in mid-race) but different cars can be entered for different races.

Sprint and Slalom rounds
These rounds will have a trophy and prize for the first placed team, with no points contributing to the overall totals.

Point Scoring

Racing
The team completing the most laps will win each race. Points will be awarded as follows:

Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
Points 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1

Any team or driver who seriously obstruct or damage other competitors’ cars will be disqualified from the race concerned.

Scrutineering
The following categories will be awarded points:
Engineering 60
Body and Aerodynamics 30
Teamwork 30
Total 120
Engineering, Body and Aerodynamic Design

The scrutineers will be looking for quality of design and implementation by checking the pupils’ understanding of the engineering of their cars.
Wholesale use of kits will be marked down.

Teamwork

Scrutineers will be looking for a cohesive team with clear roles, interchangability where appropriate. They should be able to solve problems as a team and react to changing circumstances.

For full details of points allocation see the ‘points criteria’ section of rules and regulations.

Trophies will be awarded for the following categories:

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

Welcome! It does look as though the rules are rather open. Am I right in that you're building an on-road car? My suggestion would be a "field trip" to some local shops to see what some typical equipment looks like, and to get some design ideas. And find the nearest model raceways to see what it's all about, and give the students some spent nitro fumes to spur them on If you can use some "sub-assemblies" or a few "off the shelf" parts, the trips to local hobby shops should turn up at least a few potential ideas?! It sounds like a cool project, what age are your students, from what I gather I'd say about 17 or so? Wish you luck!

Tigger N. Bennie

You may want to visit the following link:

http://www.formula1-rc.com

Billyman

My Feedback: (1)

Mr. Smith, first of all I would like to congratulate you on being a teacher and putting up with the system and the kids of today.

I’m probably not going to tell you anything you don’t already know. YOU’R A FREAKIN’ ENGINEER!

Proptop makes a very good point. Going to some hobby shops and looking at various models will definitely familiarize you with the miniature components thus creating ideas. You’ll also quickly find that the components are very much the same as real cars only shaped differently because of the nature of design and durability.

Understand that these miniature cars act just like real cars when it comes to handling. A stiffer spring here, a looser one there, moving weight around etc, dictates the cars push, looseness and it’s “stick� to the pavement around turns. Experimenting with tires (softness and hardness) plays a big part as well.

Since everyone has to run the Irvine 20 engine, I wouldn’t do a 4wheel drive. Although the 4wheel drive would allow you to run a looser setup, it’ll result in eating up power. A front wheel drive setup would be kind of cool. And as long as the weight distribution was correct, you wouldn’t have to worry about the rear end trying to pass the front in turns. A little rear slippage would mean a loose setup and would enable you to keep the engine at higher RPM’s but I fear it too would eat some power trying to play “catch up�. I feel your best bet would be the ole rear wheel drive. With properly tuned suspension as well as engine, you’d be sure to hang the inside line and keep those much need RPM’s up.

I’m sorry to say that there aren’t any exotic fuels for your nitro car. You either choose 10%, 20%, or 30% Nitromethane content. There are nitrous oxide kits available if you’re allowed extra juice.

Now I have writers block. I can’t remember where I was going with this so……

Good luck with such a cool project.

j_smith666

thanks for the advice - anymore is greatly appreciated.

I'm particularly interested in brakes - do most of these cars have brakes? Are they necessary? What are the options....?

Thanks

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

Yes, the brakes are disc type, and on an on-road car they're usually on the shaft the trans. spur gears are connected to (lay shaft?) They're pretty simple, w/ a steel plate on either side of the disc, and operated by a cam/ lever set-up. Don't have a pic. (sorry) but maybe someone else will chime in and help out ?! If the caliper plates are steel, the disc is fiber, or a hi temp. type of plastic. Or a steel disc, w/ fiber lined caliper plates. If you are going to be in a competition, then I'd say brakes are definately nessessary, because who knows, you might need them to help avoid running into someone else nudge nudge, wink wink...

Tigger N. Bennie

FG also has an optional hydraulic brake set up for its 1/5 scale F1.