Almost 200 people attended the Formula Student Symposium organised by Széchenyi István University on 18-19 November, where the cream of motorsport, including the engineering legends of Formula 1, gave presentations. The popularity of the international event, which was organised for the ninth time, is reflected in the fact that participants came to Győr from 20 countries.

The Formula Student Symposium, traditionally held at Széchenyi István University, was held for the ninth time this year at the institution, with 22 speakers from various teams and car manufacturers from the world of international motorsport. The main aim of the meeting was to exchange experiences and ideas and to prepare for the coming season for the student teams competing in the Formula Student series, with the help of renowned professionals.

"The event fits in perfectly with the development cycle of the Formula Student teams - designing in the autumn, building the car in the spring and testing and racing in the summer - as the new teams are already set up and conceptually prepared by the time of the symposium. This way, they can coordinate their plans and learn from our speakers, which they can then incorporate into their preparations for the next season," said Tamás Kolossváry, head of the Győr Innovation Park of Széchenyi István University, the event's main organiser.

Tamás Kolossváry, the main organizer of the event, welcomed the participants and speakers of the symposium (Photo: András Adorján)

Among the speakers on the programme was Claude Rouelle, a motorsport expert who regularly gives professional training as a race engineer and vehicle dynamics expert, and also acts as a judge in the most prestigious international Formula Student races.

"Formula Student is all about gaining experience and learning from mistakes, because mistakes are key to success, as well as expertise, and it is important to share experience - this is a great opportunity to do so."- the Belgian expert stressed.

World famous race engineer Claude Rouelle spoke about the importance of mistakes and expertise through his own career journey (Photo: András Adorján)

Miroslav Zrncevic, test driver for Bugatti Rimac, and Pierre-Olivier Cimon, also from Rimac Technology and a specialist in battery technology, gave presentations. From the world of Formula 1, Timothy Anticevich from Williams was present, as well as returning guests Owen Carless from this year's constructors' world champion Red Bull and Andor Hegedűs from Aston Martin.

Zoltán Szujó, sports reporter, President of the Hungarian National Motor Sport Association and Owen Carless, member of the Red Bull Formula 1 team (Photo: András Adorján)

The Dean of the Audi Hungaria Faculty of Automotive Engineering, Prof. Dr. Gábor Dogossy welcomed the participants (Photo: András Adorján)

"Széchenyi István University can be proud of many successes in the Formula Student series, one of which is SZEngine, the only engine development team in the competition that will become an engine supplier in 2024. Meanwhile, the Arrabona Racing Team has been developing and building a complete racing car and achieving outstanding results year after year. We are delighted to welcome to Széchenyi István University some of the best in the industry who will share their experience with our students, further strengthening our position in the international arena."- Prof. Dr. Gábor Dogossy, Dean of the Audi Hungaria Faculty of Automotive Engineering at Széchenyi István University, underlined in his welcome speech.

Christian Stengel welcomed the participants of the symposium on behalf of Audi Hungaria (Photo: András Adorján)

Representing Audi Hungaria, the main sponsor of the Formula Student Symposium, Christian Stengel, the company's Head of Vehicle Development, shared his thoughts on the relationship between the industry and Formula Student.

"In the modern automotive industry, the complexity of the sector means that, in addition to theoretical knowledge, practical experience in all areas of the profession, including communication skills, conflict management and project management, is very important. Formula Student gives you the opportunity to do all of this, making it the best investment in your future."- he said.

This year, Napsugár Hunyadi, a student of the English-language programme in automotive engineering at Széchenyi István University, participated in the event for the first time. "I am actively involved in the organisation of the Formula Student race, so I thought it was important to be present at this professional event, where I can learn from the best international experts in the automotive and motorsport industry," she shared her views with our portal.

Alikhan Abdykalykov from Kyrgyzstan has been a regular participant for several years. "The professional content and organisation of the symposium is outstanding every year. There are always exciting workshops and presentations - it would be a shame to miss it," he said.

"This unique international event is important for all automotive professionals and students, as it provides an excellent platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience between teams," said Barham Farraj from Jordan, who volunteered to help organise and implement the event.

Kyrgyzstan's Alikhan Abdykalykov was a returning participant at the 2023 Formula Student Symposium (Photo: András Adorján)

Gallery of the event (Photos: András Adorján)