Capital Racing Team is the formula Student Racing team of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The team comprises students of the newly formed faculty of Engineering. The team is ambitious and has undertaken the biggest mechanical engineering project available in the undergraduate level which is to design and build a race car to compete in the Formula Student competition.
Team members are passionate automobile enthusiasts and have worked tirelessly for over a year amidst their academic work to design the car. The team is a part of the IMechE (Institute of Mechanical Engineers, UK) student chapter of the university. The team’s vision is to spark interest in the field of mechanical engineering and to showcase our local engineering prowess on the world stage.
The project is funded by The Innovation Invention and Venture Creation Council (IIVCC-USJ) along with a Research grant of University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Dr. Dulini Mudunkotuwa is the staff academic advisor for the project and Mr. Prathap Jayasooriya is the team leader.
Formula Student/FSAE is an international university competition series organized by IMechE and SAE (depending on host nation). Student teams from around the world participate in the event and prominent figures in the automobile industry make up the judging panel. Major automobile/tech companies sponsor these events. The concept behind Formula student/FSAE is that a fictional manufacturing company has contracted a student design team to develop a small Formula-style race car. The prototype race car is to be evaluated for its potential as a production item. Each student team designs, builds and tests the prototype based on a series of rules that are enforced to ensure on-track safety (the cars are driven by the students themselves) and promoting smart problem-solving. At the competition, the team is awarded points for the car’s design, performance on track, cost management, marketing and presentation skills. It offers a unique opportunity for young engineering undergraduates to work as a team and tackle a real-life engineering project before being exposed to the industry.
The team plans to participate in the Formula Student UK competition to be held at the legendary Silverstone circuit (home of the British Grand Prix).