With three months of an epically fast-paced 2009 already fleeing into the rear-view mirror, QUT Motorsport are keeping pace with the demands of a busy opening to their 2009 campaign.
With memories of a troublesome 2008 crusade still fresh in the minds of many team members, no effort has been spared to ensure that the 2009 season is the year that QUT’s elite student team break through into the top echelon of Formula SAE competition.
The leftover New Year’s bubbly and party streamers had hardly seen the rubbish bin before action began, with Dennis De Pellegrin taking the mantle as QUT Motorsport’s 2009 academic advisor, accompanied by straight-talking Built Environment and Engineering faculty members Jon James and Tony Morris.
The trend of fresh new faces continues throughout the 2009 team, with a plethora of new additions to QLD’s leading Formula SAE team, ranging from engineering to graphic design, and everywhere in between.
“It’s an exciting time,” said Info-Mech boffin Sam Caterer.
“There’s a lot of new life being breathed into the team, and with such a strong collection of talented students now with us, it’s making for an exciting new season.”
Among the material changes for 2009, new rules regarding the dimensions of the frontal area of the chassis means that designs must begin from a brand new slate for the upcoming year’s car.
The increase in the size of the entire front half of the chassis is like catnip to eager young design-kittens, encouraging further design freedom as packaging of the suspension and pedal box is considered in the latest designs.
With the fire stoked, QUT’s talented team look set to hit the hills again, after a notable absence from Hill climbs in 2008. Having worked tirelessly to prepare the 2008 car for its long awaited return to the competitive circuit, as well as having already made significant headway on designs for the 2009 car, the odds are in favour of seeing QUT return to repeat their blindingly swift performances, and clinch back the National Hill Climb Championship gong they took home in 2007.
The buzz is hard to ignore - with the goals of hoisting QUT’s deserving sudaria onto the list of top-shelf Formula SAE competitors burning brightly in the eyes of each and every team member, count on 2009 being something…a little bit special.
Ashley Miller
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