SAUFormula

Design · Build · Validate · Race

What Is Formula Student?

Formula Student is an international engineering competition in which university students design, build, validate and race a single-seat car from the ground up. Its roots go back to Formula SAE, founded in the United States in 1981, while the first UK demonstration event under the Formula Student name took place in 1998. CV covers combustion and hybrid vehicles, while EV refers to electric vehicles. Driverless and autonomous systems compete through the Driverless Cup and autonomous disciplines available to eligible CV or EV cars. Before reaching the track, cars must pass technical inspection. Teams defend their design, cost, manufacturing approach and business plan in static events, then demonstrate acceleration, skidpad, autocross and endurance performance in dynamic events. The strongest overall package wins—not simply the fastest car, but the team that combines reliability, efficiency and well-founded engineering decisions.

Cars from different universities at Formula Student Romania
Formula Student Romania competition groundsSAUFormula team archive

01 · Pre-track assessment

Static Events

325

Total points

75 Points

Business Plan Presentation

Business Plan Presentation

The team turns its car, or a related idea, into a sustainable business model and presents it to judges acting as investors. Alongside the technical product, the target audience, revenue model, market approach, financial plan and growth strategy are evaluated as one coherent proposal.

Judges focus on

Feasibility of the business idea, financial consistency, persuasive delivery and question-and-answer performance.

100 Points

Cost & Manufacturing

Cost & Manufacturing

The car’s materials, parts, labour and manufacturing steps are developed into a detailed cost report. Judges examine whether the chosen manufacturing methods are realistic and cost-effective, and how the team manages the balance between budget and performance.

Judges focus on

Cost accuracy, manufacturing knowledge, process planning and the engineering response to a changing scenario.

150 Points

Engineering Design

Engineering Design

The team presents the car’s architecture, design targets, calculations, simulations and physical test results to experts from the automotive and motorsport industries. Evaluation covers not only the final part, but also the decisions behind it and how the systems work together.

Judges focus on

Technical depth, innovation, validation, manufacturability and the team’s ability to defend its decisions.

02 · On-track assessment

Dynamic Events

525

Driven-event points

50 Points

Acceleration

Acceleration

Starting from rest, the car covers a 75-metre straight in the shortest possible time. The event tests not only engine power, but also drivetrain performance, tyre grip, weight transfer and the driver’s launch consistency. The best valid run determines the score.

100 Points

Autocross

Autocross

A narrow, technical course of less than roughly 1.5 kilometres is completed as a single timed lap. Slaloms, corners of different radii and short straights reveal the car’s agility, braking balance and the driver’s precision. The best valid lap determines the score.

50 Points

Skidpad

Skidpad

The car completes right- and left-hand turns on a figure-eight course formed by two circles. Lateral grip, suspension balance, steering response and tyre behaviour become visible in this event. Hitting cones or leaving the course adds time penalties.

250 Points

Endurance

Endurance

The roughly 22-kilometre race is completed by two drivers, each covering around 11 kilometres without changing cars. In the longest and highest-scoring driven event, reliability, thermal management, brakes, suspension, drivetrain and error-free team operation matter as much as speed.

75 Points

Efficiency

Efficiency

Efficiency combines the fuel or electrical energy used during Endurance with the car’s track performance. The goal is not merely to use less energy, but to maintain a competitive pace, bringing power management, mechanical losses and driving strategy into one assessment.

03 · Optional driverless events

150 additional points.

Under the 2026 rules, eligible CV and EV teams can earn additional points in Driverless Acceleration and Driverless Skidpad. This optional 150-point section is added to the 525 points available across the five driven dynamic events.

75

Points

Autonomous straight-line performance

Driverless Acceleration

75

Points

Autonomous lateral performance

Driverless Skidpad

From race week

FORMULA STUDENT ROMANIA.

Beyond the event descriptions, this gallery shows ADA-02’s preparation at the competition, the team’s work and the Formula Student atmosphere.

University race cars in the Formula Student Romania track area

01 · FORMULA STUDENT ROMANIA

Competition grounds

Student teams from different countries meet on the same track; every car represents thousands of engineering decisions made over an entire season.

The SAUFormula team with ADA-02 in front of the race garage

02 · FORMULA STUDENT ROMANIA

Teamwork

Every step, from technical inspection to going on track, requires drivers, engineering departments and operations leads to work at the same time.

The SAUFormula team working on ADA-02 in the pit

03 · FORMULA STUDENT ROMANIA

Preparation and validation

The paddock is more than a service area: it is where measurements are checked, problems are solved and the car is prepared for the next event.