LU Racing seek to innovate and become a literal driving force for students with a passion for motorsports. With a one million SEK budget they’re about to head out to this summers formula student competition. Find out how here.
The world of motorsport, iconic for its Monte Carlo, Bathurst, and Le Mans, an environment of champagne and glamour. But behind this facade, there are months spent in workshops, offices and factories, trying to find that one key component for the formula of success. So just who is willing to put in these hours?
LU Racing (Lur) does. They are a Lund University based racing team where engineering, design and administration all factor in to building a track worthy car from scratch.
The goal is to compete as part of the Formula Student (SAE) at Silverstone International Circuit in the United Kingdom.
As the final preparations were being made for the unveiling of the new chassis at LTH’s Kårhuset, there are whispers that the new car LUR6 is running late. Would the uncorking of champagne have to wait? There is much commotion as the team busy themselves with preparation. But with only ten minutes to spare the LUR6 is ready and wheeled onstage.
This last minute adjustment is symbolic of the pragmatic nature of the LU Racing’s schedule. Even though the team have been working on the car for one and half years, spending over 15 hours a week on it alongside they’re studies, there are always things to be done.
“We work as a team, that’s the essence of our work, to develop into a functioning company. This is a selection of people who really have a passion for motorsport and cars and if you don’t, you’ll will by the end,” says Maria Rangin, head of marketing.
However she wishes for a broader demographic of students in the organisation.
“As I’m the only one here who doesn’t study at LTH, you could say that I’ve come from the outside. But technical knowledge isn’t a requirement, it’s to have a burning passion in creating something,” says the economics student.
But LU Racing isn’t just an ordinary student organisation. It’s also a project course that is offered by LTH. But the financing is up to them. Unlike some other university backed teams LU Racing has had to find its own sponsors. In doing so they have reached a total budget of around 1 million SEK from a total of 47 backers.
Mats Carlsson, who represents one of the key sponsors, has personally brought three components for the car in his backpack.
“For me, LU Racing represents a growing cooperation between the university and the private sector, Lur came to us last year for assistance backing their project, something which we hope to do over the coming years. For we’re backing the next generation of engineers and designers,” says Mats Carlsson.
LU Racing has over the last seven years entered into the Formula Student event with a variety of hybrid powered cars and chassis designs. They have also been successful, seeing several top ten finishes. Next years car (LUR7) is already well underway with 35 new team members working on it. The car is planned to be more cost and time efficient.
“This is a project which gets alot of attention here at LTH, so we were naturally interested to join,” says recent newcomer Jacob Rubensson.
The world of motorsport is so much more than the glamour we relate to it, a testament of that exists right here in our back yard.
