Motorsport-loving students at Technology University of the Shannon (TUS) are building a racing car from scratch in a bid to emulate their Formula One heroes.
The TUS Motorsport team – with key members hailing from Tipperary, Limerick, Clare, Cork and Kerry – have made some parts themselves at the Coonagh campus in Limerick, sourced others via sponsors and even upcycled an engine from a crashed Honda motorbike.
Now, members of TUS Motorsport – set up less than two years ago -are heading to the Silverstone Racetrack in the UK where legends such as Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton made their name.
While the car is not yet fully finished, they have reached the Concept stage of the Formula Student competition which includes teams from around the world.
The car is being transported by van and ferry to the competition, on from July 16th to Sunday July 20th .
A significant milestone for the team, their main mission is to enter the full Student Formula race in the UK in 12 months’ time.
The driving force has been a core bunch of committed Mechanical Engineering students: TUS Motorsports president Nathan Killane from Kilcommon, Co. Tipperary; vice-president Darragh O’Grady, from Thurles, Co. Tipperary as well as Asher Grant, from Kenmare, Kerry; Daniel Gammell, from Effin. Co. Limerick; Ciara McDonnell, Hugh O’Grady, Ethan Ellis, from Doon, Co. Tipperary; Krzysztof Kowalewski from Shannon, Co. Clare; Tommy Brazil from Martinstown, Co.Limerick, and Alyssa Hanley from Charleville, Co. Cork.
In total around 30 students have helped, some doing college assignments built around the project and from different academic backgrounds too: from Precision, Mechanical, Electronic and Automotive Engineering to International Business, Creative Broadcast and Film Production.
Nathan said: “Darragh and I previously competed together in the F1 in Schools competition for two years, achieving great success at secondary school level.
“When it came time to choose my CAO, TUS was my first choice — because I had a dream of one day competing in Formula Student. In my very first week of college, I reached out to Daniela Butan, one of the lecturers here, to help me establish a team.
“Since then, we’ve made real, measurable progress, building momentum each semester.
“And now, having spent nearly two years studying at TUS, I can say with confidence that we have a unique advantage — our students gain practical, hands-on experience that many of the larger universities overlook.
“This project is more than just building a car. It’s an opportunity to develop both technical and soft skills, to promote engineering in a way that inspires students and to showcase the incredible talent we have here at TUS.”
The TUS team have availed of two third-level research grants totalling €13,000, from the SATLE and N-TUTORR programmes.
As well as that, they sought help from sponsors including: Kent Stainless who provided the chassis, Beta Tools which sponsored a tool chest, Senator Engineering who made the pedal box, OMC who provided suspension tabs and funding, Dave Killane Transport who sponsored the car’s transport, Takumi Precision where they funded the 1999 Honda motorbike and re-used its engine and parts, Bolgers who provided body panels, materials from SQ Fabs. DC Autospares who supplied hubs and shafts and Ford Cavanaghs who supplied studs and nuts.
The team also got financial support from Ace Autobody, John Crowley Plant Hire and Lyons Motor Group.
When you include the value of benefit-in-kind from sponsors, the team estimated the total outlay will be less than €30,000.
This contrasts to some of their Formula Student competitors who have spent many multiples of that sum, with one team splashing out €130,000 in 2023.
Most of the work on the car has taken place at TUS’s Coonagh Campus in Limerick where the team have access to professional tools and equipment as well as assistance from academics.
While Daniela Butan was their main source of advice, many other TUS staff have helped them too including Lisa Henihan, Ciaran O’Loughlin, James McPhillips, Chris Sexton,
Patrick Walsh and Sean Cunningham, lecturers in the Department of Mechanical and Automobile Engineering; and Tony Mahon, Head of the Department.
Daniela Butan said: “The drive of these students is second to none. When they first approached me with their idea to build a Formula car, I didn’t think it was achievable in the timeframe they had – but they’ve proved me wrong.
I told them they’d need a multi-disciplinary team, a solid business plan, and a marketing strategy, because this was about more than just engineering – and they delivered on all fronts.
Their passion for the project has truly shone through, and they deserve great credit not only for the countless hours they’ve dedicated, but also for their strategic approach in aligning their college work with the project.
This is a major achievement not just for the team, but for TUS as a whole. It demonstrates what can be accomplished when academics and students collaborate effectively.
We’re very proud of their progress and commitment – and they are now in pole position to take part in the race 12 months from now.” When they return to TUS next semester, the team plan to finish the car and race it for the first time. After that, it will be tested over and over as they vie to become the first ever Technological University to race at Silverstone.
