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Student motorsport teams are racing to the finishing line thanks to Loctite adhesives and automotive products

Automotive engineers of the future sponsored by Henkel in student motorsport competition

Commitment Industrial Adhesives Jun 19, 2018

Eight teams taking part in the 2018 Formula Student educational motorsport competition are sponsored by Henkel, including the University of Hertfordshire’s UH Racing Team and University of Sunderland. All are hoping that the benefits of using LOCTITE® products will help deliver high place finishes in this prestigious automotive event, which has become an established testing ground for the next generation of world-class engineers.

Both the University of Hertfordshire’s UH Racing Team and the University of Sunderland are seasoned campaigners at Formula Student, the UK event that takes place on 13-15 July at Silverstone – the weekend after the British Formula One Grand Prix.

“We have lots of applications for LOCTITE® products in this year’s car, particularly with the growing amount of carbon fibre being deployed,” explains Elliott Cook, Team Leader at the University of Hertfordshire’s UH Racing Team. “Bonding as a process compared with mechanical fasteners or welding is fast, light and reliable.”

The University of Hertfordshire’s UH Racing Team is using LOCTITE® adhesives, retaining compounds, threadlockers, mould release agents and cleaning products, as it hopes to build on a history of success at Formula Student. As well as products, the teams also get technical guidance from Henkel experts.

“This year’s theme is more ‘evolution’ than ‘revolution’ so we are aiming for a top 10 finish at the UK event, although top three is potentially achievable,” says Mr Cook, who says that the University of Hertfordshire’s UH Racing Team will also compete in the Czech Formula Student event on 31 July to 4 August.

Ambition is similarly high at the University of Sunderland, where Automotive Technician Paul Smith, who heads up the team, says that almost “everything has changed” on this year’s car.

“We have a very small budget in comparison to many other teams but that doesn’t stop us from competing hard,” he says. “A tight budget also means that the support of sponsors such as Henkel is critical. We have a new chassis, engine, gearbox, hubs, brakes and exhaust, so LOCTITE® products are useful in many respects, especially regarding performance, design innovation and speed of processing. After all, Formula Student is not just about dynamic events such as sprint and acceleration, it encompasses design, cost and sustainability, as well as technical and safety scrutineering.”

Despite the restricted budget, the University of Sunderland is aiming for a top 30 finish, which would be highly respectable from a start list of nearly 100.

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University of Hertfordshire’s racing car

2018 UH Racing car

Student team from University of Hertfordshire

2018 UH Racing team

University of Sunderland’s racing car

2018 SUN Racing car

Student team from University of Sunderland

2018 SUN Racing team

Formula Student Logo

Formula Student Logo

Read more about the Formula Student teams and follow UH Racing and SU Racing on Twitter to see how they get on!