SNAPSHOT
UGENT RACING: TALENT IN POLE POSITION
LVD is a proud sponsor of UGent Racing, the Formula Student team at Ghent University (UGent) that builds an autonomous electric race car from scratch every year.
Lara De Weirdt, Business & Corporate Relations, and Ethan Sené, Chief Mechanical Engineer and board member – aged 20 and 21 – speak enthusiastically about the project.
“UGent Racing is a unique opportunity to put theory into practice. You learn so much: contacting companies, developing a business plan, organising meetings. It’s teamwork on a completely different level,” says Lara.
100% student-made
Every year, more than 90 students combine their expertise in mechanics, electronics and software to build a high-performance race car.
“From September to December, we focus on the design,” says Ethan.
“This year, we’re introducing in-wheel motors: moving the motors to the rear wheels frees up more internal space. It’s quite the challenge!”
Quizzes to qualify
In January, Formula Student launches online quizzes that determine whether teams can participate in the summer competitions.
“We’re extremely motivated because we really don’t want to miss the international races,” says Ethan.
Production starts in the second semester: welding, soldering circuit boards, building the chassis. LVD provides high-quality sheet metal for the chassis and interior trim – cut and bent as needed. The project shows the strength of collaboration between academia and industry.
Sustainable and future-oriented
The sustainability team continuously searches for eco-friendly alternatives. For example, the carbon-fibre steering wheel is now in wood, stronger and lighter than the carbon-fibre version.
Like LVD, UGent wants to inspire young people to choose STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths).
Lara:
“During workshops, we get children and young people excited about technology, for example by assembling small cars together.”
International top-level racing for students
“This summer, we competed on circuits in Germany, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands,” says Lara. “The Hockenheimring in Germany is the holy ground of Formula Student. You’re there among universities from all over the world. With five years of experience, we’re a young team; others have been doing this for 20 years and have bigger team, but we’re progressing fast and made an impression with our self-driving car.”
“Before we’re allowed on the circuit, we must present and defend our engineering design choices, business plan and cost & manufacturing before the juries. We’ve already achieved podium finishes for the latter two, out of 60 teams. We are particularly proud of that.”
And who gets to drive in the end? “We decide that by karting together,” laughs Ethan. “The fastest and most agile students become the drivers. Except when it’s the autonomous team’s turn – then the car drives itself.”
Stefanie Vandemoortele, LVD Company
