Gold for Chalmers in the world’s largest Formula Student competition

The Chalmers Formula Student team, which achieved great success during this summer’s competition season - in addition to taking first place in Germany, the team also claimed second place in the driverless category in the Czech Republic and eighth place in the electric vehicle with driver category - consists of about 60 students from eleven of Chalmers’ educational programs.

They work in eight specialized subgroups, covering everything from aerodynamics and autonomous driving to electronics, finance, and manufacturing. Each year, the team builds an entirely new car, and almost everything in it is produced in-house in Chalmers’ workshops.

“It’s the team that makes all the difference,” says Jessica El-Jabaoui. “Everyone knows their strengths, and everyone steps up for one another when challenges arise throughout the year.”

“We’re also very fortunate to be able to do almost all the manufacturing here in our own workshop,” adds the team’s head of mechanics, Olle Norell. “Many other teams are forced to outsource production, but for us, it’s an important part of the learning experience.”

Design in autumn, manufacturing in spring, competition in summer

A year in Chalmers Formula Student follows a clear rhythm. The new team takes shape in September, beginning with organization and design work. The autumn is dedicated to design and planning, continuing until Christmas. Spring brings full-scale production in the workshop, and once the car is complete, the testing period begins, with runs nearly every day. During the year, one can follow the team in their popular social media channels (see links below).

“We usually say that autumn is for design, spring is for manufacturing, and summer is for competition. That means you get the whole chain - from idea to a real formula car on the track,” says team member Arthur Alexandersson.

But even being accepted to compete is an achievement in itself. Qualification takes place in January: a technical quiz in which 400 teams from around the world compete for a spot. Only those who answer the most questions correctly, in the shortest time, get the chance to participate.

“It’s extremely tough. There are far more teams wanting to compete than there are available spots, and the competition is fierce. So even before we start building the car, we know we have to perform at our very best just to make it to the starting line,” says another team member.

Every year brings its own challenges, and for this year’s team, the biggest difficulty was building the chassis. The team had chosen a new manufacturing method intended to improve both the working environment and performance, but it proved more demanding than expected.

“We had to redo it three or four times before we got a chassis that met our standards. It was incredibly frustrating — time-wise, financially, and mentally. When you put in all those hours and it still doesn’t work, that really tests the team’s endurance,” says Olle Norell.

Long days - and nights

The latest car, SVEA, features a completely new and more reliable drivetrain that reduced the weight by around 30 kilograms compared to the previous year’s car and improved performance for both autonomous and manual driving. Testing over the summer was intense.

“We drove manually one day and autonomously the next. Whoever tested one day analyzed data the following day,” says Olle Norell. “That allowed us to continuously develop the car and be maximally prepared for competitions. We tested the car during the day, and when we came back to Chalmers in the evening, others in the team were ready to keep working late into the night. It was tough, but it also gave an incredible sense of teamwork and dedication.”

Even though the project revolves around developing and building a Formula 1-style car, everyone emphasizes that other aspects are just as important as the technical work.

“It’s just as much a social project,” says Olle Norell. “We spend hours together in the workshop, build friendships, and have fun, all while working toward common goals.”

“If you’re not having fun together, you wouldn’t put in all those hours working on the car,” adds Jessica El-Jabaoui.

Open to all Chalmers students

Chalmers Formula Student started in 1999 and has since built 22 cars. The project is open to students from all Chalmers programs and serves as a unique platform for learning and networking.

“For students, this is a chance to grow, develop both technical and organizational skills, and build connections with companies and universities around the world,” says Jessica El-Jabaoui.

The course is popular and attracts many applicants each year. Recruitment takes place both on campus and via social media, and for the 2025 team, around 180 students applied.

“You absolutely don’t need to be a Formula 1 expert to join,” says Miguel Álvarez Guinarte, head of autonomy. “We look for all kinds of skills - from mechanics and electronics to coding and project management.”

For participants, Chalmers Formula Student becomes a place where creativity, technical expertise, and problem-solving are developed under real competition conditions, and where collaboration and commitment are the key driving forces for success.

“The best part of the project is that we get to learn so much, test our ideas in practice, and build something together that actually works,” the team concludes.

Fact box: Chalmers Formula Student

The master’s course Chalmers Formula Student is a student-driven project in which about 60 students from nearly all Chalmers programs design, build, and compete with formula-style cars — both with drivers and autonomously — over the course of one academic year. The project began in 2001, and almost all parts of the car are built in-house. The team then competes internationally with the completed car against teams from other top universities around the world.

On Chalmers Formula Student's web page you can find more info, and links to the team's social media.