The Bremen Formula Student team, Bremergy e.V., is made up of students from the University of Bremen, the Bremen City University of Applied Sciences, and the Constructor University. They combine their expertise from various fields to voluntarily work toward a common goal: building their own racing car. Every summer, they participate in the world’s largest engineering competition, the Formula Student competition, where they compete against other teams with the electric racing car they developed.

The Bremergy association is organized by students for students and offers an opportunity to gain practical experience while pursuing a degree. The registered association currently consists of 54 members and is organized like a company. “In addition to a CEO, there is a technical director and a CFO who takes care of finances and legal matters, as well as heads of departments and team members of the respective sub-teams. Most of the teams are categorized by a technical specialty such as driverless, aerodynamics, and electronics. But we also have human resources, IT, and marketing teams, just like in any regular company,” reports CEO Alex Lichtner, who has been with the association for three years. Image 2: Bremergy_Alex_Copyright_privat.jpg

The initiative is open to students from all disciplines, not just engineering and technical subjects. For example, Matilda Neumann is a student of political science and works in human resources at Bremergy. Her passion for Formula 1 led her to attend the open house and learn more about the initiative. It was the great team spirit that ultimately convinced her to join. “I chose to study one of my main areas of interest, and now I’m gaining work experience in my second area of interest. It’s perfect for me,” she says enthusiastically. Alex emphasizes that, if someone is interested in joining, it does not matter what subject they study, because many different skills are needed. He welcomes newcomers, saying, “Most things can be learned. We will teach you everything you need to know and are always happy to answer any questions. The only thing that matters is that you are motivated and willing to get actively involved.”

A Typical Year with Bremergy

The season begins on October 1, at the start of the semester. The team is formed and recruits new members. The Formula Student rulebook is released at this time as well, and sets out the specifications for constructing the new racing car. Based on the skills of its members and the official specifications, the team then decides which construction changes to focus on. “This year, our aerodynamics team was very strong, so we redesigned the entire aero package. That allowed us to optimize the speed and appearance of the race car compared to last year’s model,” says Alex. They expect to have designed and developed the car by the end of the year, and to begin production at the start of the new year. That way, the car will be ready in April or May and begin the testing phase in preparation for the summer races.

Building BreMo25 and Its Challenges

The Formula Student rules define structural modifications, and also establish a manufacturing framework that includes specifications for fireproof materials and other safety measures. Students manufacture many parts themselves, such as the battery, sensors, and circuit boards. They also use 3D printers to produce spare parts. The team is currently working on switching to 3D printing for the structural design as well, “because it will give us more freedom in terms of geometry,” explains Alex. However, since this process is not yet functioning properly, the team currently uses another method where CFRP plates are layered, heated, and cured to ensure the stability of the racing car’s body. The team almost faced disaster during the construction of the BreMo25 because the material didn’t set as expected. Determined to not end the season prematurely, the team worked tirelessly, even through the night, to completely rebuild the monocoque – the car’s structural skin – in time for the race. “During peak periods, people even used the couch in our lounge to sleep on,” recalls Matilda, who spent a lot of time in the workshop container during her summer semester break. “Once the car is racing at an event, everything is working smoothly, and the whole team is cheering, all the stress will have been worth it,” she is convinced.

Participation in Races

Whether a team is allowed to participate in individual racing events is decided by the organizers on the basis of several online quizzes, which always take place on a particular day at the beginning of the year. In order to qualify, the entire team gathers to answer as many questions correctly as possible in a short period of time. Out of the approximately 700 teams worldwide, only 40 to 80 are selected to receive one of the limited spots in the races, making it a great honor to participate. Due to the high participation costs, Bremergy wants to participate in no more than two or three events per year, while still, trying to ensure that every member who wants to can attend at least one race.

The team deliberately keeps its plans and visions for the future open because so much depends on the skills that future team members bring to the table. Alex and Matilda both think it would be good to make future racing cars lighter and for them to have more autonomous driving capabilities, and can also imagine a redesign. However, this would require more designers on the team.

Further Information

If you want to learn more about the Bremergy Formula Student Team, you’re welcome to come to their open house on October 30. More information about the student initiative and the event is available on the Bremergy website.