SUFST – Formula Student – STAG 12  Design, build and test of a single-seater race car for the Formula Student competitions

Senior Leadership

John McGarvey
William Mears

Committee Members

Supervisor

Prof Andrew Cruden

Southampton University Formula Student Team (SUFST) is a student-led engineering society from the University of Southampton. Established in 2012, the team competes each year in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Formula Student UK (FSUK) competition, held at Silverstone. The event challenges university teams from around the world to demonstrate excellence in engineering, innovation, and teamwork across both static and dynamic events.

Formula Student provides students with an exceptional opportunity to gain hands- on engineering and project management experience by applying academic knowledge to a real-world vehicle development programme. From design and simulation to manufacturing, testing, and competition, team members are exposed to every stage of vehicle development in a fast-paced environment that mirrors industry practice. Many SUFST members go on to secure placements and graduate roles across motorsport, aerospace, automotive, finance, and more.

In 2025, SUFST achieved 10th place overall at FSUK, with the team’s highest ever points tally. The team also completed the endurance event with an electric vehicle for the first time and returned home with its first ever Dynamics trophy after winning the Efficiency Event. In addition, SUFST supervisor Professor Andrew Cruden received the Faculty Advisor Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of his continued support and leadership.

For the 2026 season, SUFST is setting its sights on a top-five finish at FSUK 2026. The team has also focused on reducing vehicle mass and lowering the centre of gravity to achieve further improvements in vehicle dynamics and overall performance.

Alongside FSUK, the team will compete at Formula Student Germany at the Hockenheimring in August. This will be the first time SUFST has competed internationally with an electric vehicle, providing valuable experience by competing against some of the highest-performing university teams in the world.