South Bank Racing: Learning, Growing, and Competing at Formula Student 2025
This summer, LSBU’s South Bank Racing (SBR) team once again took to Silverstone to compete in Formula Student — Europe’s biggest student motorsport competition.
The competition is renowned for being tough. Each year, around a quarter of teams don’t make it through the scrutineering process, and SBR faced the same challenge. Despite arriving with one of the best cars LSBU has ever produced — featuring a custom steering wheel with an integrated electronic dash, paddle shift, and an adjustable front suspension system — the team ran out of time to get the car fully finished before race week.
Even so, the team made it through several stages of scrutineering, impressed the design judges with their innovative features, and proudly represented LSBU among 60 teams from around the world.
Achievements on and off the track
- Michael Royce Learn and Compete Award – recognising the team’s determination to keep improving year after year.
- 20th place in the Lap Time Simulation – out of nearly 60 teams.
- Business Plan Presentation – praised by judges for showing clear progress and major improvements on previous years.
While the car itself didn’t make it to the racing stage, the experience was still a huge success for the team in terms of learning, growth, and collaboration.
Start your engines: Drive your future
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Student reflections: Sambridi’s story
For many students, Formula Student is the highlight of their LSBU journey. For Sambridi Shrestha Rajak, who will graduate this year with a BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering, the 2025 competition was particularly special.
What part of the car are you most proud of this year?
“I’m most proud of the suspension system. The goal was to implement anti-dive geometry, something I also focused on in my dissertation. After multiple design changes and challenges, seeing the suspension come together as a functional unit was a major personal achievement.”
What was your biggest learning from Formula Student?
“The biggest learning was how important preparation and organisation are. Even with strong design work, last-minute delays or miscommunication can affect progress. FS taught me how to work under pressure, manage time and resources, and collaborate effectively in a fast-paced environment.”
How did it feel being part of the team?
“It felt like being part of something much bigger than a university project. Formula Student has been the highlight of my time at LSBU. Each year, the car improved, but I also grew as an engineer. The creativity and diversity in engineering solutions across teams is inspiring, and the community is so supportive. That shared sense of purpose, problem-solving, and intensity during race week created memories I’ll never forget.”
What advice would you give to future team members?
“Start early, ask questions, and communicate clearly with other sub-teams. Collaboration is key. And enjoy the process — it goes by quickly.”
How has South Bank Racing shaped your LSBU experience?
“SBR has been the most impactful part of my time at LSBU. It’s helped me grow more confident, more collaborative, and more prepared for a career in motorsport or engineering.”
Looking ahead
South Bank Racing may not have crossed the finish line this year, but the skills, resilience, and teamwork the students developed are what Formula Student is all about. With every competition, the team grows stronger — and the next generation of LSBU engineers is already preparing to take on Silverstone again.