“Formula Student is the perfect preparation for challenging tasks with Volkswagen,” says Stefan Gies, Head of the Mid- and Fullsize Series Group and FSG patron with Volkswagen. “We need young people to forge ahead with e-mobility, autonomous driving and digitalization together with us”. For this purpose, employees must be able to organize themselves in interdisciplinary teams – just like students do during the one-year design phase for FSG racing cars. “At Formula Student, we find top talents and have an opportunity to show them their career prospects with Europe’s largest automaker,” Stefan Gies adds.

Teams, jury members and motorsports personalities

Information on job opportunities with Volkswagen is available at the Volkswagen Race Truck, where Volkswagen employees provide an authentic view of the company. They are being supported by two special guests: the Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR racing drivers and brand ambassadors Jasmin Preisig and Benjamin Leuchter. Jasmin Preisig of Switzerland will report on her experience in motorsports during the Ladies’ Lounge on Friday, August 9, 2019.

However, Volkswagen will not only be scouting for talent in Hockenheim but is also participating in the competition in several ways. The competition is being entered by four student teams which have received support for their preparations for FSG for a whole year – experts from Volkswagen provided advice to the students. In addition, engineers from the company are volunteering as jury members.

This year, Volkswagen is sponsoring teams from universities in Germany and the Netherlands: Bremergy Racing from the University of Bremen, DUT Racing Team from Delft University of Technology, Ecurie Aix from RWTH Aachen University, HorsePower Hanover from the University of Hanover (LUH), Lions Racing Team of Brunswick University of Technology and the e-gnitionTeam from Hamburg University.

A few weeks ago, Volkswagen invited the selected racing teams to a warm-up session at the Ehra-Lessien proving grounds. The program included a business plan workshop and some test laps with technical fine tuning on the racing cars. Some of the student teams already have their sights on the next event: Formula Student Spain is being held at the Circuit de Catalunya from August 20 to 25.

Formula Student Germany

Formula Student Germany (FSG) is a design competition for teams of students from around the world which is held at the Hockenheimring. The event is organized by the Formula Student Association, with the support of VDI, the Association of German Engineers. Almost 120 teams with a total of between 3,000 and 5,000 students take part in the competition. They must design and build their single-seater racing cars, which are prototypes fit for driving, entirely through their own efforts. There are three categories for cars with internal combustion engines, autonomous cars and electric cars. In addition, the teams must submit a business plan and a marketing concept for the production of a small series of their vehicles. The criteria considered by the jury include esthetics, the use of standard parts and ergonomics as well as braking and acceleration behavior.

You will find further information and brief reports on Formula Student Germany 2019 at the Hockheimring at www.formulastudent.de.