The regulations are very strict. The checklist for the "Electric" class, which is for racing cars with electric powertrains, consists of 299 items, including the dreaded rain test. This involves the car being subjected to a four-minute torrent of water. The technical approval of the racing cars, also known as scrutineering, plays a very important role in the Formula Student series. Any car that does not meet the requirements is not allowed to go down to the start. It's as simple as that. A total of 24 teams accepted the invitation to visit the Bosch proving grounds in Boxberg with the aim of ensuring that they were as well prepared as possible for the final event in Germany at the Hockenheimring. The testing workshop in Boxberg has been a permanent feature of the Formula Student calendar for several years. The two-day event on July 5 and 6 was organized by Bosch Engineering, a full subsidiary of Bosch.

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© Bosch Engineering

A total of 24 teams took the opportunity to visit the Bosch proving grounds in Boxberg and prepare their cars for the competition in Hockenheim

This year the 24 teams once again had the opportunity to test the cars that they had designed and developed themselves under racing conditions. The huge site has the facilities to run all the tests required at the final Formula Student Germany race in Hockenheim. This includes scrutineering and a range of acceleration and endurance tests. "The two days here in Boxberg are really valuable for us. We finally have the chance to test our car thoroughly after months of hard work. With the expertise and support of the Bosch specialists we can overcome the final challenges in the run- up to Hockenheim," explains Marc Hägele, project leader of the Einstein Motorsport Team from Ulm University of Applied Sciences. More than 40 experts in vehicle development and system design from Bosch and its subsidiaries Bosch Engineering, ETAS, and ITK Engineering were available to give the teams advice. Many of them were former members of Formula Student Germany teams with years of experience.

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© Bosch Engineering

The racing teams made the most of the chance to subject their cars to thorough testing

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© Bosch Engineering

The preparations for the test runs are the same as those for a race, as the team from Ulm University of Applied Sciences demonstrates here