Oxford University Racing team makes track debut at Silverstone

Oxford University Racing (OUR) achieved a significant milestone this July, taking their electric race car onto the famous Silverstone track for the very first time. The event marked a major step forward for the student-led team in just their fourth year of entering the Formula Student competition.

Held at the Silverstone Circuit between 16–21 July 2025, the FSUK competition brings together university teams from around the world to design, build, and race small single-seater vehicles. For OUR, this year was about far more than building a car, it was about proving they could meet the toughest safety and engineering standards and compete on track.

From garage to grid

Over five days, the team successfully navigated rigorous scrutineering, a series of intense mechanical and electrical safety checks, and earned the right to compete in the dynamic events, including the prestigious Endurance race.

“Passing scrutineering was an incredible moment,” said Bethany Myton, incoming Co-Head of Powertrain. “Watching our car out on track was even better, even if it was only for a couple of minutes!”

Despite the race being cut short by a technical issue, the team was thrilled to have made it through to this stage, a feat only a small number of UK electric vehicle (EV) teams achieved.

“FSUK25 was a huge success for OUR,” said Frederick Goodfellow, Technical Manager. “Although our race was cut short, we were still so proud of what we achieved. Over the weekend we learned so much, not just about the car, but how to improve as a team.”

Top-ten finish and rapid progress

In addition to the track events, the team excelled in several static events where cars are assessed on design, cost, and project management. The team achieved a top-ten finish (6th) in the Project Management category, a first for OUR, and tripled their points in the design and cost events compared to last year.

“It was really great to see success on and off the track,” said Thomas Turner, incoming Co-Team Principal. “We were the most improved UK team in the static events, and that was an incredible achievement.”

“We strongly believe that the success on the track goes hand in hand with making smarter cost and design decisions,” he added.

Looking to the future

As the team looks ahead to the next competition cycle, plans are already underway for OUR5, the next iteration of the car, a full redesign that will include a new powertrain, chassis, wheel assembly, and battery.

“We’ve learnt a lot about making a safe and reliable powertrain, from scrutineers, judges and even other teams,” said Jon Soepadmo, incoming Technical Manager. “It’s been an amazing experience and we’re excited to build on this momentum.” 

“We’re still in our infancy compared to many of our competitors,” added Lewis Blake, also incoming Technical Manager. “But we’ve proven we can get through scrutineering, and that gives us the confidence to aim higher.”

Teamwork at its core

With more than 100 students involved across departments, OUR is a true cross-disciplinary effort. Faculty Advisor Ryan Walker praised the dedication and growth of the team. 

“It’s a testament to the hard work of all the students involved over the past four years,” he said. “Congratulations to them, we look forward to returning next year with a brand-new car!”