Opel has shown its support of the four Formula Student teams it sponsors by gifting each with a new Opel Ampera carrying the individual logo of the team and the university they represent. The Amperas will be used by the teams to travel between the many Formula Student events to be held in Europe throughout the year like Silverstone and Hockenheim and other events in Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic and Italy.
Formula Student is a challenge which sees engineering students develop a racing prototype to be evaluated for production. The car must have good driving characteristics, such as adequate acceleration, braking and handling, but also must be affordable, reliable and durable. The Opel-sponsored teams receive support from the automaker in the way of manufacturing parts and components, allowing them to use the test tracks at the Opel Test Center and comprehensive engineering advice from its employees.
“Support for Formula Student teams is an investment in our own future. The students experience similar engineering and manufacturing challenges like in real automotive business,” said Opel Vice President of Engineering, Mike Ableson. “It challenges the team members to go the extra step in their education by considering production and manufacture as well as the economic aspects of the automotive industry.”
Support for Formula Student teams is a worldwide initiative by General Motors, with teams also located outside of Europe, such as Mracing from Michigan University in Ann Arbor. It’s a long-lasting tradition that the American teams also supported by GM are hosted by the Opel teams when they make the trek to Germany for the main event of the season in Hockenheim. This year, the Hockenheim event will take place from July 29 to August 3.
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